Shades of Paradise
by Lovedrr
Summary: Having agreed to sacrifice herself to save the life of her younger sister, Princess Diana of Themyscira becomes locked in an intimate love battle with the newly crowned King Kal-El of The Krypton Empire …
1. Prologue

Prologue:

Kingdom of Krypton

Evening

Although the only illumination in the darkened and expansive room were gently sparkling candlelights, the grandeur of the space could still be easily discerned. The night atmosphere outside the kingdom was cold and chilly, yet the air inside this room was warm and cozy. It was very unusual for a prison to be this undeniably comfortable.

Still, she felt that it was the worst place in the world to be at this moment.

The bedroom of The King of The Krypton Empire was certainly a sanctuary of immaculate beauty and splendor. Adorned with tapestry and artistic creations from all over the known world, it was always a wonder for any to behold, although very few had ever seen it. Not gaudy and overdone, but clean, measured and elegant.

For Princess Diana of Themyscira, it was a nightmare.

She was seated in a large sofa chair in the center of the space. It was padded and lined with soft material, making it very comfortable. It was obviously movable and adjustable, as both the arm and leg units seemed as if they could be changed to almost any position imaginable.

The only problem was that she had been quite expertly fastened to it. With her own lasso. Absolutely impenetrable.

Beside her large chair was a smaller one, not as adorned for comfort as her own. It was facing toward the side of her chair, perfectly situated to be fully within arm's reach. Although it was smaller and far less luxurious than her chair, the companion seemed somehow much more ominous.

And speaking of ominous, it was at that moment that he chose to appear.

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened, and his silhouette materialized in the middle of it. His stride was slow, regal and powerful as he walked into the room. He knew that all power in the world rested in his hands, and he was confident in this fact. His cape trailed out behind him, giving him an edge of mystery in his majesty.

Stepping into the light nearest her, King Kalel of The Krypton Empire stopped to stand over her. The gaze of his crystal blue eyes upon her was steady and intense. In them was a strength, a … gentleness, and perhaps even a touch of … reverence … for her.

Well, even though she had completely agreed to be in this situation, The Princess had absolutely no idea what he planned to do to her. Whatever it was, she hoped he would be gentle. However, that was probably being a little too optimistic.

"Are you comfortable, Princess?" the deep manly bass of his voice asked.

"As can be, given the situation," Diana retorted, with more than a little defiance in her tone.

As Kal stared down at Diana, she rebuked herself for her response. She had consented to be here and to not defy him in any way. Well, she may not completely defy him, but she would always remain a spirited woman, and he would just have to learn to live with that.

"You're feeling a little uncertain. Let me try to reassure you," said Kal. "I told you earlier that i had known this moment would happen for quite some time, and i've been waiting for it. Here's more proof to you that you can believe my word."

Reaching down to touch a small button on a control panel set into the armrest of the second chair, Kal never took his eyes away from Diana's. Thinking she was in some kind of test of wills with him, probably the first of many, she kept her gaze locked upon his in return.

Suddenly, a line of candles lit up a space on the far wall directly in front of Diana, positioned so that she could face it directly from her sofa. After another moment, her eyes refocused on the wall.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her lips fell slightly open.

On the wall was an image … somehow three dimensional .. of her. It was an artistic rendering, complete with a sketching of the sky above her and the landscape below her. There was some distance from her, as if being admired from afar. Her body almost seemed to be glowing, and the work itself was truly a thing of beauty.

Diana actually remembered the moment which had been captured. It was from approximately three months ago. She had been sparring with Hessia near the shoreline, and Hessia had brought out a full regiment of warriors to try to push Diana hard. Diana had greatly enjoyed being able to cut loose a little, since she'd always had to control her strength and abilities with those around her so as not to harm them grievously, and that was the reason she had been smiling as she'd soared through the air in battle.

He … He must have been watching her. He had already revealed that he knew much about her, so much so that she felt at a decided disadvantage to him in their engagement. Diana knew that she had to find out as much about him as he knew about her. Perhaps in this she could gain the advantage over him. She would need to draw him in close to her.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, Kal did exactly what she was thinking. He sat down in the power chair beside her, taking what seemed his rightful place in control of her.

"Now then, Princess," he said with a grin. "Shall we begin?"


	2. chapter one

One day earlier …

Themyscira

Dawn

Although the world around it had been at war for some time, the majestic Isle of Themyscira lay seemingly serene and untouched. Having remained separated from the mainland for centuries, a plethora of mythical tales of mystery and majesty now surrounded the ocean around it and all the coastlines in the entire region. Alas, at long last, the world had finally come closing in on it once again.

In the midst of a seemingly quiet and peaceful morning, the relative quiet was shattered as a massive and thunderous boom resounded out over the entire region. The coastline near Theymscira seemed to shake and vibrate with the unknown impact, sending a small tidal wave washing up on the shores of the island. A loud rumble continued to resound even after the powerful crash.

The royal palace of the isle of Themyscira was filled with activity. The female warriors hurried to their posts and stations in practiced preparations for battle. All of the Amazons were arming themselves and assisting others, moving as an expertly well oiled team. Atop the palace, on the primary overlook tower near its apex, a group of security warriors were surrounding the Great Queen Hippolyta.

Resting in her bedroom a few levels below the main observation deck, Princess Diana of Theymscira was jarred awake by the incredible impact which had just shaken the region. She had practiced late into the night the previous evening, taxing her incredibly powerful body hard in an effort to make sure she would get a good night's sleep. Usually awake before dawn, she would often take early morning swims or soars through the sky, and it was somewhat ironic that on one of the mornings when she was sleeping in she would be awakened by an event.

In seconds, she was out of her bed, fully dressed, and bounding up the staircase to the observation deck. The cadre of Amazon leaders which were gathering to stand behind The Queen parted to make way for The Princess as she headed over to her mother's side. Although still technically holding the rank of Princess, Diana appeared every bit as regal as her mother as she walked between the warriors with her blue cape trailing behind her and her long gorgeous mane of full black curly hair flowing down to her lower back.

A number of the most elite warriors on the island stood on the deck facing toward the mainland. This particular view allowed a direct line of sight over the expanse of ocean to the hillside beyond. With the land sloping upward to a higher elevation from the shoreline, a good portion of the countryside was easily visible. Several miles from the shore, various fires and smokes of battle could be seen.

"Mother," Diana called sternly. "What's happened?"

Standing at the head of the group, Queen Hippolyta turned to gaze upon her daughter. Even after all these years, her daughter was still the apple of her eye. Despite the situation going on around them, the queen still took an extra second to enjoy the appearance of her progeny.

"We're in no danger at the moment, Diana," Queen Hippolyta answered, remembering to maintain her formal atmosphere in the presence of others. "I've had our sentries watching over this situation since late yesterday. The foolish armies of man have begun the fighting i predicted when they were positioning their armies earlier."

"It would have been good of them to do our race a favor and just all kill each other," a dark voice followed.

Standing on the left side of Queen Hippolyta, the Master Sorceress Circe only glanced at Diana before turning back to look out over the view.

Before Diana, Circe had been known as the greatest warrior of the Amazons. With her long red hair and finely toned feminine physique, she was certainly one of most stunning women in the world, and her fighting skills were without match. She had once believed that she had been destined to be the one to free and protect her race. However, when the overthrow and occupation of Themyscira had taken place under the leadership of Hercules and his men, she had not been able to procure their freedom. Circe had not taken her fall from grace well, and although still the most highly respected and best combat veteran among the women, she had become more dark and bitter over time.

"What manner of weapon have they just employed?" asked Diana. "I have never felt the like of it."

"That's what we're trying to figure out," the ever valiant Artemis said as she stepped over in respectful deference to her Princess. "Our sentries can't get a visual on it. I was overseeing the watch. We had our eyes on the advancing of the armies over the last three days, but we didn't see the movement of any heavy artillery which could cause such such damage. We don't know where it came from."

"What did you see?" asked Diana.

"Only men. The army on the left brought a sneak attack on the encampment on the right. The Kryptonian army seemed to be staking a claim on the shoreline when they were assaulted. The marauders were cowardly, trying to catch the Kryptonians unawares. The Kryptonians have been under assault for some time."

"We saw the marauders moving toward the Kryptonians?" asked Diana.

"Yes, we did," Artemis said reluctantly, already knowing where the upstanding temperament of her dear friend would lead.

"Mother," said Diana, stepping in a little closer to her. "You chose not to warn the encampment of the ambush?"

"We do not involve ourselves in the affairs of men," Hippolyta said firmly. "After what they did to us in the past era, I am only a few layers above Circe's determination that they should all silence one another."

"We still have our values, Mother," argued Diana.

"And the lives of men are not among them, child," Circe said with venom dripping from her words, turning to face a scowl at Diana. "You were not alive at the time of the occupation, Princess, and you didn't experience it like most of the rest of us. You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know that you all lived through it," retorted Diana, not backing down to the elder woman in the least. "And our Amazons are the strongest race in the world. We should not become a mirror of the evil we have seen."

"The thing we need to focus on is that weapon," noble Hessia spoke up quickly as she walked over to Diana's side, not wanting the diametrically opposed conversation to escalate any further. "Some of us think we should go looking for it."

Hessia, Artemis and Circe shared a knowing and ominous mutual glance between each other.

"We cannot," Queen Hippolyta spoke firmly. "We already discussed this. I won't risk any of my warriors on reconnaissance right now. We will need you here."

"My Queen," Circe began with feigned respect. "The reputation of The Krypton Empire precedes it. They are spreading across the world like a wave and conquering all which stand before them. They have now reached the shores of our place in the world, and they certainly mean to come for us soon. We may have just been given a glimpse of the power which has allowed them to conquer other empires. This could be our key to preservation and victory."

Queen Hippolyta thought to herself in silence for a long moment. It was obvious that this was a somewhat conflicted decision she had to contemplate. However, her answer remained unchanged.

"Duly noted, but denied," Hippolyta said finally, still staring out at the war approaching their borders.

Her answer would prove to be the start of an odyssey …

Themyscira

Shoreline

Midnight

The night hung dark over the countryside, almost pitch black, and the woods were thick and dense. There was an unusual chill in the air, and the light of the moon was far more dim than customary at this time of year. There was no warning that this night would be a turning point in the history of the entire known world.

In the forests some good distance from the shoreline, a band of Amazon warriors moved quickly and stealthily through the foliage. With the forest being on the edge of what had become a region with at least three separate empires vying against one another for control of more land mass, they knew that they were practically in the middle of a war zone. So far, their journey had been uneventful, but that was about to change.

"Artemis, hold," Diana's forceful whisper pierced the eerie silence hanging over the area.

At her words, the small band instantly paused. All of the female warriors quickly took positions of cover behind trees and logs, watching their surroundings carefully. Even though every one of the experienced combat veterans knew that to halt their movement was a bad idea, the word of The Princess was law, and they obeyed quickly.

"We don't have time for this, Diana," Artemis said angrily. "This is the second time we've had to stop for her. If she can't keep up, then we should have left her behind."

Almost as if on cue, young Donna Troy, a teenage warrior somewhat famous on the island of Themyscira as something of a phenom child prodigy, came noisily bursting out of a line of foliage behind the main group. She was one of the youngest warriors to be skilled enough, particularly from her privately training under Diana, to be allowed to battle in the adult sparring competitions. Impressed with her, Queen Hippolyta had appointed her to be the personal guardian of her precious daughter Princess Diana. Winded and out of breath, she immediately stopped and slumped over when she realized that they had halted. Her hair fell over her face as her shoulders hunched with her desperately gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry, my Princess," she said quickly. "Please forgive me. I'll keep up this time. I will."

"Easy, Donna," Diana whispered comfortingly as she wrapped one arm around Donna's waist to hold her up. "Take your time. Catch your breath. You shouldn't have come with us on this journey."

"You shouldn't be here either," Donna retorted. "This is against The Queen's orders. However, since she appointed me to be your personal adjutant, i couldn't let you go without me."

"Little one, my mother gave you this appointment because she thought that i was lonely," Diana said lightheartedly. "Your skills are not needed here.""

"Where you go, i go," Donna told her. "If you weren't here, then i wouldn't be, either."

"I had to come," Diana said sternly. "I don't like to admit it, but Circe was very convincing when she spoke to us after we had left the observation deck. If our race is to survive, we had to come here and destroy that weapon. With Hessia and Artemis here, I had to come to protect them."

"My Princess!" Artemis called in a harsh whisper. "Our mission to locate and destroy man's new weapon is predicated on time and stealth. We need to keep moving. This is the second time we've had to stop to let her catch up. We need to go."

"She's like a little sister to me, Artemis," replied Diana.

"As she is to all of us, Diana," Hessia reminded her quickly. "As are all our sisters. Still, this mission is too important for us to slow down for her."

"I will stay behind with her. We'll be a backup team then."

"No, My Princess," Donna protested weakly, still trying to catch her breath. " I … I can do it. I can keep up."

"Hush, Little One," Diana told her, not wanting the young warrior to incur any more of Artemis's wrath.

"Understood, My Princess," Artemis acquiesced. "We'll move on ahead, then. My sisters, with me," she called out.

In unison, the war party raised up and shot through the foliage in the blink of an eye. They were out of sight in seconds.

"You shouldn't have done that," Donna said sadly. "I'm sorry I'm a liability to you, Diana. Please forgive me."

Staring down at her with tender eyes, Diana ruffled Donna's hair in jest and then drew her close for a short hug. Diana kissed the top of her head warmly.

"As my mother intended, you are a fine bodyguard to keep me out of danger. You see, you are performing your duties quite well," comforted Diana, ever the ambassador. "Come on, Little One."

Together, the two of them hurried off into the forest after their sisters.

Up ahead of them, Artemis and the band moved quickly. At the lead position, Artemis was too concerned about making up for lost time to properly scout the area in front of the group. She didn't notice the trap she had just led them into.

"Halt and kneel!" a man's gravelly voice suddenly echoed throughout the darkness.

Every one of the Amazon warriors immediately stopped where they stood. The voice had been amplified, as if it had seemed to come from everywhere at once. The Amazons held their weapons at the ready, now prepared for combat. The atmosphere was tense and heated.

"Show yourself, Male!" Artemis hollered loudly.

"If you have seen the darkness, you have seen me," the voice answered. "I am the night. I am the dark. I am justice. Now kneel to The Empire of Krypton."

"The race of man knows nothing of justice!" retorted Artemis. "We shall die first!"

"Take them down," the voice ordered.

At that moment, four figures burst from the shadows of the surrounding foliage. The first of them wore a massive mechanized metal suit, its green color seeming to appear black in small glints of moonlight. Raising his hands, he released a powerful shockwave of electric energy which crackled throughout the entire area. All of the Amazons were stunned badly as the electricity burned through their veins and nerves.

In the next second, a dark figure came gliding down out of the high tree tops, his black cape flowing outward from behind him in the wind. As he soared downward, he spun around in a full circle, releasing a set of strings from his utility belt. The thin metal wires were designed to be extremely strong, and they cut across the places where the Amazons were standing in the blink of an eye. Striking the lower parts of their legs, the tensile strength wires tripped the female warriors, dropping most of them to the ground. Only Artemis and Hessia were able to remain standing, but they were stunned and off balance.

Before the Amazons could recover, two other figures quickly pounced on them from opposite sides, one on the left and the other on the right. One of them hurriedly disabled Artemis with perfectly precise strikes with the butt end of a long katana, one blow catching her directly in the center of her throat to prevent her from being able to breathe, and the other an elbow to her solar plexus which knocked the wind out of her.

Just as Hessia moved to assist the fallen Artemis, a heavy handled crowbar flung with a long rope attached to it slammed into the back of her head, leaving her dazed and delirious as she stumbled, struggling to stay on her feet. With the reflexes of an experienced hunter, the blue skinned assailant rolled his muscled body on the ground and knocked her feet out from under her, leaving her laying on the ground underneath his body at his mercy.

"Yield. Now," the dark caped crusader commanded.

"Never!" spit Artemis defiantly.

"Sisters!" a war cry suddenly resounded loudly.

Diana flew into the battle with a swift grace, soaring toward the middle of the clearing in the pose of an avenging angel, her blue cape trailing behind her majestically. With a single kick, she sent the blue skinned bounty hunter tumbling off of Hessia and crashing through dense trees and vines. Spinning around smoothly, she swung her lasso with expert aim, catching the man standing over Artemis around his neck. With a violent yank, she slammed him into the mechanized suit of the second man, sending them both careening backwards clumsily.

Then, just as it seemed as if Diana was about to win the day for her sisters, everything went from bad to worse.

As she turned in preparation to take out the caped man, he threw a small smoke bomb onto the ground and disappeared in its wake.

"Behind you, My Princess!" screeched Donna, quickly jumping from her hiding place in the woods behind Diana, and disobeying her expressed orders to remain out of the fight.

Unbeknownst to Donna, Diana had already spotted the caped man's point of attack, and she was intending to sling the man she still had her lasso around directly into him as he was in the air. At the angle from which Donna was attacking, she was in the way of Diana's planned attack.

"Out of the way, Donna!" yelled Diana, already knowing that she was too late.

However, the situation was far worse than Diana had anticipated.

As a loud snap resounded over the woods, Diana turned to see that the man with the metal suit had extended a long whip from his arm ports and snatched Donna out of the air. The harsh leather had already cut deeply into the skin of her young neck, leaving trails of blood seeping down her throat. Donna crashed to the ground at the man's feet, and he quickly lifted her up by her neck to hold her suspended in the air, her feet dangling helplessly above the ground. Diana watched in horror as a long razor sharp blade quickly extended from the automated metallic sleeve of the green metal suit, now poised to plunge through Donna's abdomen.

Time slowed down, and began to move in a kind of terrifying half motion.

Diana steadied herself, her eyes thinning to slits, her warrior's body poised for the utmost battle maneuver.

She knew she wouldn't make it.

Her little sister was as good as dead.

There was no hope.

At that moment, hope spoke.

"Stay thy hand!" a deep thunderous voice boomed from above the battlefield.

One millisecond later, before anyone even had a chance to look up at the sky, a massive crash reverberated from the center of the forest clearing. A circular blast wave of concussive force expanded outward in a radial pattern, levelling all the trees, branches and foliage in its path. The powerful impact actually expanded the space of the clearing itself. Only Diana and the man in the metallic suit were able to remain standing, both of them covering their faces from the onslaught.

Moments later, Princess Diana opened her eyes to the most compelling sight of her entire life.

"By the gods," Diana whispered.

Kneeling on one knee on the ground in the center of the clearing, as his power was still radiating off of him, was a man clothed in blue raiment, with a red cape flowing behind him in the winds of might swirling around him. As he raised his head, his sparkling crystal blue eyes focused directly on her own, and both of them gazed upon one another as if they were the only two beings in existence. Slowly, powerfully, mightily he stood, his frame formed, sculpted and awe inspiring. In the center of his chest was a symbol, and it expanded with the muscles of his massive manly chest.

"What transpires in my kingdom?" he commanded authoritatively. "Speak, Knight."

"Trespassers, Kal-El," the dark caped one answered, once again concealed within the shadows. "On a stealth mission."

"Princess Diana of Themyscira, i must speak with you," the red caped man said quickly.

"How do you know of me?" demanded Diana, holding her blade at the ready as her eyes moved between he and the man holding Donna.

"I will answer your questions, Princess, but first this situation must be dealt with. Allow me to make some introductions. I am Kal-El, new King and Ruler of The Krypton Empire. The invisible one is my second in command, The Knight. The skillful old man there is Baron Deathstroke, ruler of the guild of assassins which governs the eastern continent. The azul bounty hunter there is known as Leader Lobo, head of the tribe of hunters which control the western territories. And finally, the metal man holding your fellow warrior is Lord Luthor, supreme controller of the intellects of the southern empire. These prestigious men comprise my new League of Justice. I introduce ourselves out of respect to you and your people, and because it's important that you know that there is more going on here beyond simply what you see."

Princess Diana stared at King Kal-El intently. She could tell that he was attempting to convey something to her beyond the meaning of his words. However, she was fearful of taking her eyes off of Luthor for too long. At any moment, he could butcher young Donna. It was a tense heated standoff.

"Now that we're all acquainted," Deathstroke said as he slowly stood to his feet and raised his sword. "Let's allow the slaughter to begin, shall we?"

"Agreed, Deathstroke," concurred Luthor.

"Don't move, Luthor," Kal-El commanded, his eyes beginning to glow a dark red hue. "If that hand alters one inch, i'll burn it off. The Princess and i have matters to discuss."

"Well, well, well," Luthor said smugly. "Since we have a princess in our midst, i suppose this could be more pivotal than i had anticipated."

"And more profitable," the grumbly voice of Lobo rasped around his thick cigar. "These females would be worth a huge price on the open market."

"You will all stand down men," Kal-El told them. "You will follow my word. That's what we agreed upon."

"You said there would be justice under your rule, Great King," Luthor spat venomously. "Your father subjugated us, and we agreed to follow you in exchange for our lives. You said things would be beneficial for all lands. This doesn't look like justice. They have trespassed, and this infraction demands justice. Or perhaps you would prefer that we all call off this league union and return to our ways of war?"

King Kal-El stared into Luthor's eyes for a long intense moment. Diana watched as Kal-El looked down at the stern but frightened eyes of young Donna. Then, he turned back to Diana.

"Princess, i have a proposal you must accept. I will agree to release your warriors, unharmed, if you willingly take their place and surrender yourself to me completely."

Diana froze. His proposal was stunning. Her heart turned ice cold. Yet, there was one spot of warmth within it, and that was for her little sister Donna. She knew that she would do anything to save her. Anything.

"Diana! No!" called Artemis. "I forbid this! We will cut down all these filthy males."

"No! Diana!" cried Hessia. "It's a trick."

"Princess, i need an answer," King Kal-El said tensely, glancing once again at the blade pressing into Donna's abdomen.

"You … don't seem to have full control … over your kingdom, King," Diana said uncertainly, still carefully surveying her situation for all possible options.

Kal paused. He stared at Diana intensely. She didn't understand the true depth of the situation she and her people had caused. Not only was the life of that little girl at stake, but also the lives of millions of people across the world. If she destroyed this tentative alliance he had barely been holding together, all the various tribes and lands under these men would again turn to war for survival, and thousands upon thousands of people would die.

Luthor was a monster. The kingdom needed his intellectual skills and those of his followers, but the man himself was a cancer which would one day have to be removed. Kal wasn't going to watch him butcher a young girl.

With a stern and honorable visage, Kal very slowly began to walk forward toward Diana. He kept his hands unthreateningly at his sides, but just his manly bulked and muscled physical presence was still very imposing. Diana now had to keep his eyes on him as he drew very near to her, in case he attempted an attack. Keeping her eyes locked on him, Kal placed the razor sharp tip of her blade directly on the middle of his throat, giving her his ultimate vulnerability.

"Princess, i beseech you. There is more … much more … going on here than you know. Please. You must accept my offer. It is the only certain way to save the life of your young warrior. Please, Diana," he whispered to her.

Taking a long moment of thought, Diana stared hard into the eyes of this king. She could slit his throat and then try to cut down as many of his men as she could to avenge Donna. However, this wasn't the fate she wanted for her young sister. Diana wanted her to live her life, not lose it before it had even truly started.

In the depths of his eyes, Diana could discern that Kal too wished for Donna to live. Above all else, her survival was the most important. She made her decision.

Slowly, Diana lowered her sword.

"Very well," Kal said in a tone so low only she could hear him.

"Now, let's play," said Luthor, lowering Donna to the ground and releasing his mechanical hold on her neck.

Before he could make another move, a strong rope sprang out of the darkness and wrapped around the legs of his suit, throwing off his balance and dropping him to the ground. Seeming to walk out of the very shadows themselves, The Dark Knight stood over Luthor.

"What are you doing?" Luthor asked angrily.

"Just making sure," The Knight told him in a grim voice. "We don't want your idea of playing to be misunderstood."

"You said my warriors would not be touched by the hands of men," Diana said angrily to Kal.

"These women are now under the protection of The League of Justice of The Krypton Empire!" Kal announced in a loud authoritative voice. "Until they are beyond our borders, any and all who touch them do so under penalty of death! The Knight shall personally escort the warriors back to the ocean."

At his words, The Dark Knight immediately moved into action. With just a slight call of his hand, a number of black clothed figures appeared out of the shadows and moved to the sides of the female warriors. They swiftly removed the weapons of the Amazon warriors, and they took positions of protection as they prepared to walk with them back to the ocean shoreline. The Dark Knight moved to the head of the cadre as they began to walk back through the forest.

The Amazon warriors barely had time for worried glances back at Diana as they left their princess behind.

"You have yet to take our captive, Sire," growled Lobo. "We don't want to feel like we're coming out of this little confrontation empty handed."

"And don't be gentle with our new Princess, either," said Deathstroke in a haughty and devious voice, still angered with the blows he took during the short battle as he sheathed his katana. "You should make certain that we know our ruler is on our side. Sometimes we wonder."

Diana had been studying these men and their puzzling relations to their king, and as she turned back to face Kal, he suddenly moved faster than the eye could see. Reaching inside her cape, he quickly snatched her golden lasso off of her. In the blink of an eye, he had swiftly tied and bound her wrists in front of her.

Diana wasn't able to restrain the slight gasp which slipped out of her, but she was thankful that it had been so low that only he might have heard it. Kal had stopped moving, but it wasn't his speed which had made her almost cry out in surprise.

It was his strength. She could feel him. She could actually truly feel his every touch.

Time held still for the two of them for a long moment. As Diana looked from her hands up into Kal's eyes, she saw the same surprise as she was feeling on his face as well. She couldn't help but to notice that he kept holding her hands after he had bound her, his thumbs tenderly rubbing her wrists.

"This matter is concluded," he announced to his cadre.

With those words, Kal lifted Diana up into his arms, and then took to the sky.

Although this confrontation was over, the journey for the two of them was only just beginning ...


	3. chapter two

Krypton

Evening

In the distance, the lights of the expanse of The Krypton Empire began to come into view. It was large but not extremely massive, as it could be uprooted and moved as its headquarters proceeded to new locations. Drawing closer, it was difficult to deny the beauty of the encampment as there seemed to be a slight glow over the city from within.

Floating through the sky, with Kal carrying Diana in his arms, the two of them had a view of the entire region. He didn't seem to be in any hurry at all, almost leisurely drifting along. They listened to the sound of the winds surrounding them until his voice broke the silence.

"Princess," he said quietly. "You do remember your promise to me, do you not?"

"Of course, i do," Diana said sternly. "I keep my word, Kryptonian. You need never doubt me."

"Very good," Kal said to her. "Well, then, come fly with me."

To Diana's surprise, Kal reached down and untied her hands. Eying her warily, he did not give her lasso back to her. Instead, he looped it around his shoulder to carry it himself. Lowering her legs and allowing her to float upright, he extended his hand out to her in a gentlemanly gesture.

This time, it was Diana's turn to eye him warily. After a moment, she concluded that this was probably just a test to see if she would keep her word and obey him. This seemingly kind gesture from a known conquering dictator was very out of the character she had assumed of him. It was probably just a test of her character, after all.

Floating beside him, Diana slowly reached out and placed her hand in his, but she turned her face away from him before his captivating cerulean eyes could affect her. Still staring at her, Kal smiled, understanding her reticence and uncertainty.

"Princess Diana of Themyscira," he said proudly. "Please allow me to present to you the Kingdom of Krypton."

Now much closer to the city, it became immediately clear to Diana that the kingdom itself was as strangely enchanting as its king. There was an unusual glow or sparkle over some areas of the buildings where there should have been only shadows. A source of light seemed to be situated in the center of the city.

"You're very proud of it," noted Diana, hearing the pride in his introduction.

"Not the kingdom itself," clarified Kal. "But the people. My people. They have been through a lot, and they have persevered."

Diana watched his eyes as he gazed down upon the landscape beneath them. His words were genuine, true and real. It was strange to find a male king which actually cared about his followers.

Then, again following the direction of his gaze to look down at the encampment, Diana stared down in surprise. There seemed to be a very large crowd gathering on either side of the city's central walkway. The activity was constant and becoming more frenzied with every minute.

"Speaking of your people, do you often have parades in the middle of the night?" she asked.

Tearing his gaze away from staring at her, Kal looked down at the center edge of the city. As he watched the gathering crowd, his brow furrowed in concern. Then, he turned back to Diana.

"I suspect … that all of this … is for you," he said uncertainly.

"What?" Diana exclaimed as her brow furrowed now.

"Well, you should know, that news travels fast in the kingdom," he told her. "And, the reason for that, is approaching us now."

Diana looked down to see a line of dust zooming across the landscape outside the city rushing toward them. It was moving faster than the normal eye could see, and Diana had to refocus her vision to get a look at what it was. After a moment, she could see a thin man dressed in red raiment making his way toward she and Kal swiftly.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"He's a good citizen, a young man that was recently struck by a bolt of lightning and yet miraculously lived. As a result, he can now move faster than the speed of light. He's known as Wally. I call him a variety of names to amuse him, but mostly 'angel.'"

"Angel?" Diana mused. "As in, an angel of God?"

"I see you know something of our beliefs," Kal said in appreciative surprise. "Well, technically, the term angel simply means messenger."

"I know that, King Kal-El," Diana told him sternly. "I am among the most knowledgeable of my Amazons on Themyscira."

"Of course, Princess," Kal said kindly. "I meant no disrespect. Forgive me."

"He moves like a flash," Diana said, turning back to the man as they landed to meet him.

"Flash," Kal said with a grin. "I like that."

"Greetings, Your Highnesses," Wally said with a smile as he comically tried to wave away the immense dust and debris caused by his motion so as not to offend the two of them. "I'm back."

"Princess Diana, may i present The Flash, at your service," Kal said with a feigned formal humor.

"The Flash," Wally said with a bright smile. "I really like that one."

"What is all of this?" Kal asked him, motioning toward the walkway of the city.

"Oh, i just told them about The Princess," Wally answered.

Kal and Diana glanced at each other.

"What exactly did you tell them?" Kal asked.

"I told everyone … that The Princess of Themyscira was going to be joining our kingdom," Wally said with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"And?" prompted Diana sternly.

"And nothing," Wally said respectfully. "I'm sorry, Princess, but the people have been needing some good news for a long time now, and you had to be it."

"Excuse me?" Diana said with a frown.

"Oh no," Kal whispered, raising a hand to rub his brow.

"Oh yes," said Wally. "Sorry, Kingy, but news about you is the only light, joy and hope the people have. I had to tell it that way."

"What is he talking about?" asked Diana, turning her rising anger toward Kal.

"That will be all, Wally," Kal told him.

"Yes, sir," he said as he turned to go. "I'll keep the joyful rumor mill stirring for the people."

Kal opened his mouth to possibly protest, but before he could utter a word, Wally was out of sight.

"Exactly, what was he talking about?" Diana asked again, much more sternly this time.

"Well, Princess, it may be somewhat difficult to explain."

"I couldn't have expected a barbaric conquering dictator such as yourself to be willing to divulge information," she said angrily.

"Oh, it's not that," Kal said quickly, turning to face her with an honest expression. "Quite the contrary. You see, i now consider you a citizen of The Krypton Empire, and as such, i intend to withhold no information from you."

"Oh really," Diana said with adversarial interest. "Let's put that to the test, then. What is the weapon your empire has been using to overcome all the kingdoms of the northern realms?"

"There's a very simple answer to that, Princess," Kal answered without hesitation. "I am the weapon."

"Explain yourself," she told him.

"Walk with me, Princess," King Kal-El said, leading her to stride by his side as they began walking the remaining distance toward the city.

"Tell me."

"The truth is, i'm not from around here," he whispered conspiratorially, leaning toward her with charming mannerisms. "You may not believe this, but i'm from another world."

"I've killed things from other worlds before."

"Oh, i see. Well, The Son gives my people gifts. We have extraordinary abilities here on this planet. Many years ago, my world Krypton was literally torn apart by civil war. I was the last son born there before the planet was destroyed."

The two of them had reached the edge of the central walkway. Although the crowd was sizable, it was not roused or disorderly. It consisted mostly of various women of all ages, busily lining both sides of the walkway as if they had come for a glimpse of the new arrival. Many of them were holding plates and dishes, and a few of them stepped very close to Kal and Diana as the two of them started to walk down the aisle side by side together.

"Were you the only survivor of your world?" she prompted him.

"No, there were a handful of others from both sides of the war. They came here to Earth because of its compatible atmosphere, and killed off what was left of each other. Those that lived felt the only way to prevent civil war like that of our planet was to form an empire to subjugate this world with us at its helm. Among the only ones left alive were my father General Zod and my mother Faora-Ul. Or rather, they whom i thought were my mother and father, until they were butchered in their sleep a short time ago."

There was a momentary pause of silence as Diana pondered the things he had revealed to her. She also studied the way he had said them, and she perceived no guile from within him. She decided that she would continue to learn as much as she could about this king.

As he spoke, a few of the women in the crowd stepped close to them, holding out plates of food to be tasted. Whatever this custom was, Diana considered herself unfamiliar with it, and she held up her hand to quietly refuse. She felt that she would have to find some measure of trust in the king before she could trust his kingdom. As it was, Diana found herself to be completely enthralled in what this king was revealing to her about his life.

"What happened to your parents?" Diana asked, surprised at the compassionate anguish which she heard in the undertone of his calm voice.

"They were both stabbed to death in their sleep," he said quietly. "We believe it was with some kind of an unknown weaponized green isotope. I'm still searching for their murderers, and i shall find them."

More women, both young and old, stepped over to momentarily crowd near them as they offered more food while she and Kal walked past them. Diana kindly refused, her attention still focused solely on listening to Kal.

"Tell me of your parents. You seek justice for them, yet they were not your true parents?" she inquired.

"After they were slain, i found out that my father … i mean, General Zod … had left information for me. He was often a very brutal military man, but not entirely unfair. I discovered that my true biological father was a great scientist known as Jor-El, and that the symbol of his house, my true house, was that of hope. I have chosen to follow this path instead of that of war."

Listening to his words, Diana looked at the large structure which they were walking toward. It was a breathtaking white crystalline structure, three stories high, positioned directly in the center of the city. Its very walls seemed to be the source of the slight sparkling illumination in the city, as a gentle glow radiated outward over everything near it.

"Well, King Kal-El, you seem to know something of honor and honesty. Your words ring true. So tell me, why is this crowd gathered?" she asked.

"Oh yes, back to that," Kal said with a touch of exasperation. "Before her death, my mother Faora had made it very clear that she was in the process of searching for a bride for her son. Our people had been struggling at the time, barely able to have enough food, medicine and needed things. Depression was everywhere. It seems that talk of my future betrothal quickly became a source of unbridled entertainment for everyone. It was recommended that i endure for the sake of morale, and i must admit, the news surrounding the search has brought much more of an atmosphere of grace to our kingdom."

"What does any of that have to do with me?" Diana queried with wide eyes.

"I'm guessing," Kal said with hesitation. "That you've been added to the list."

"What!?" she exclaimed.

"Now look ahere, MIssy," a stern voice suddenly cut through the air between Kal and Diana. "I don't care if you're Princess of Themawheredarnever, but you'll never be good enough for my son behaving like that."

Diana's head snapped to stare down at the diminutive gray haired old woman which had just charged out of the crowd to stand between she and Kal. The woman was frowning up at her with a glaring scowl, even briefly pointing a finger up at Diana's face while she held something in her other hand.

"Excuse me?" Diana frowned back at her.

"You heard me," the old woman shot back. "I don't know how high and mighty you think you are, but you've got no right to hurt the feelings of these poor women like this. They did nothing to you but extend the hand of courtesy to try to make you feel welcome, and you refuse to even try the foods that they prepared for you in the middle of the night. We don't have much in our homes, and we may not have excess like you probably do on your island, but we offered what little we have. All you do is throw it back in our faces like you're some conceited goddess."

Focusing on the woman's words, Diana turned to look behind her. She had been so captivated by Kal that she hadn't taken notice of the reactions of the women to her refusals. Looking at them now, Diana could see all their faces sullen, forlorn and crestfallen.

Diana rebuked herself. She hadn't realized that she had saddened them like this. With this empire having a reputation of conquering others, she hadn't expected its citizens to be this compassionate. Also, the Amazons of the island always had a certain toughness about them, and the tenderness of this normal culture took her by surprise. This Krypton Empire was certainly not what she had expected.

"Ma," Kal said quietly. "Please take it a little easier on her. She's had a very difficult night."

"That doesn't excuse behavior like this, specially from a Princess. Now, are you gonna try some of this or not?" the woman said to Diana.

With a smile, Kal leaned down and uncovered the tray the woman held out to take one of the expertly cut little slices of sweet dessert. He made sure that Diana watched him so she would know that the food was not tainted or poisoned. Humbled now, Diana silently offered a tender apologetic smile to the old woman as she picked up a tiny slice and took a bite.

"My Ma's famous apple pie," Kal said with a kind smile.

"They have anything like that on Themawherever?" the woman asked, her manner still stern, but now a little more tame.

"I have never tasted its like," Diana said kindly.

"Princess Diana of Themyscira," Kal said, emphasizing the name of the island for the old woman. "Allow me to introduce you to my mother Ma Kent."

"Greetings, ma'am," said Diana, slipping into her ambassadorial skills. "I assure you that i meant no disrespect."

"You call me 'Ma' or 'Ma Kent,' you understand, young lady?" Ma Kent told her.

"Of course, Ma Kent," said Diana with a slight nod.

Ma Kent's face frowned a little, a certain indication that she didn't entirely like Diana's choice of name. Despite her initial anger, she was inwardly pleased with Diana's recovery, and she would have preferred that the young Princess choose the warmer term of endearment. With a slight nod in return, she looked up at Kal.

"Come by the house later, okay, son? I've missed you so much lately. I'll make some more of your favorite apple pie here."

"Thanks, Ma," he said, leaning down so she could place a goodbye kiss on his cheek. "I'll make time. See you soon."

As Diana watched Ma Kent walk away, she decided that although she was in an awkward situation with this King Kal-El, she would try to remember her manners in her dealings with people. Except perhaps with him.

"You lied to me?" she said firmly.

"About?" he asked calmly.

"You told me your mother was dead."

"Well, it began when i was very young," Kal said, taking a step forward and cordially motioning for Diana to walk beside him. She held her ground eying him sternly, and he waited the long moment it took for her to finally once again take her place by his right side. "The General could be very brutal in his training of me, much more so than on any of the other mass of soldiers he trained in his armies. I once believed that it was because i was his son, but i have since sadly come to realize that it was more likely because i was his most powerful weapon. Sometimes, after the beatings … i meant, trainings … i would retreat to the fields behind the main stronghold. I didn't know it at the time, but the fields were actually the farmlands of John and Ma Kent."

"She found you trespassing on her farm?"

"And immediately took me in as her own. My mother Faora was militant, not warm at all, only cold and stern. She would teach me the fighting techniques on which i erred so that i could get them correct for the next sparring session, but that's all. On the other hand, Ma Kent would bandage my wounds even though they were already healing, she held me on many nights even though i wasn't cold, and she fed me even though i wasn't hungry."

"Apple pie?"

"Yes," Kal answered with a genuine laugh. "That's right. Her apple pie, which she just shared with you. She has always been the mother i never had."

"I see," said Diana with a nod of understanding.

"This is my Fortress, which has become the center of our empire," Kal said motioning to the pure white staircase extending upward into the central passageway of the crystalline structure.

As Kal and Diana began up the stairs, four figures came walking out to meet them in a haste. They were four incredibly beautiful women, clothed in stunningly attractive dresses. The woman in front had a dark form fitting dress, with perfectly trimmed short black hair. On both her sides stood two amazingly striking blondes. One had a short blonde hair style similar to that of the lead black haired brunette, with a sexy torso window in her white and red dress which accentuated her overly full bodice. The second blonde had long hair which hung down to her lower back, wearing a red and blue dress. Their faces were filled with pleasant surprise as they gazed upon the new arrival.

The visage of the fourth woman was completely different from the others. Her eyes were filled with overwhelming rage and hatred for Diana. As the other three stopped walking a respectable distance from Kal and Diana, she continued charging forward at a brisk pace, her long red hair flowing behind her as her green and yellow dress swayed from side to side.

"Homewrecker!" the red haired woman screeched as she suddenly leaped into the air and soared at Diana with her sharp nailed fingers reaching forward like claws.

Diana's eyes glared in surprise as her warrior instincts immediately took over. Leaning backward from the attack to draw the woman in, Diana snatched hold of her wrists in mid air. As Diana felt the woman's hands impact her upper chest, she could instantly tell that the woman's strength was more than comparable to her own.

Good. She had been wanting to let off a little steam. This would be short.

Diana grinned and shook her head with a touch of dark joy, actually very pleased with this battle.

Twisting her body around with precise expertise, Diana spun still holding on to the woman's wrists, then she lowered her center of gravity and snatched her attacker downward. The red haired woman slammed onto the floor on her back so hard that large cracks radiated outward from the impact.

Everyone standing around them recoiled as a large thunderous crash resounded off the very walls around them.

To her credit, the redhead was up off the floor in two seconds, ready for another attack with a threatening hiss.

"Miss Selina!" Kal called loudly.

"Karen! Kara! Restrain her! Quickly!" the dark haired woman ordered to the two blondes.

In a second, the two blondes were on either side of the redhead, each taking a hold of one arm and holding her firmly in place. She didn't put up too much of a struggle against them, as Diana's expert warrior counterattack had completely knocked the wind out of her. The blondes were obviously as strong as she to be able to hold her steady.

"My apologies, Great King," Selina said quickly. "Please forgive her bad attitude. The news of your new arrival has, understandably, been somewhat difficult on her."

"Miss Selina," Kal said calmly as he possessively hooked an arm around Diana's waist to hold her back and ease her warrior's stance. "I placed you in charge of all feminine affairs of the kingdom to handle situations such as these. Please help the women to stay more in control."

"You have no right to him," the redhead spat at Diana. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Diana of Themyscira," Diana said proudly and authoritatively.

"Ladies, please, calm yourselves," King Kal-El comforted. "Princess Diana of Themyscira, meet Lady Maxima of Almerac."

"We've met," Diana said sternly, never taking her eyes off her adversary.

"Unfortunately," grumbled Maxima.

"Take her away, please, girls," Selina said to Karen and Kara.

"You haven't seen the last of me, Princess," Maxima snarled as she was led away.

"My King, a word, please," Selina suddenly whispered with the utmost gravity in her voice.

She grabbed Kal's arm and tried to pull him a few steps away, but Kal stood his ground still holding Diana.

"Whatever you need to say can be said in front of her," King Kal-El said firmly.

"What of The Knight, my King?" Selina said quickly, her eyes now staring up at him full of emotional desperation. "Has something happened to him? Is he well? He is usually always by your side. His constant propensity for combat …"

"He is fine, Selina," Kal whispered, comfortingly placing his other hand on her side. "He is only escorting the other Amazons back to their borders. I could trust no other to the duty. He is very well."

"Is Knightwing with him?" she asked.

"Yes, he and also The Knight's Outsiders. They shall protect each other. He should return soon. You can go meet him at the edge of the city if you like."

"Thank you, King," Selina said respectfully, now regaining herself.

"Now, then, please have Zatanna open her elixir cache and bring me my mother and father's special relaxer at once."

"It shall be done," Selina told him with a courteous womanly bow.

"Oh and one more thing," Kal said as he drew Diana along by her upper arm to walk beside him. "Make certain that i am otherwise completely undisturbed for the rest of the night."

Selina gave him a nod as she watched Kal and Diana stride down the hallway toward the second staircase which led to The King's completely private upper floors of The Fortress. A hot flush ran through her at the thought of what may lay in store for The King and The Princess, and she ran a hand through her hair as she thought of her Knight. Oh, what a night …

The upper floors of The Fortress were even more striking than the lower floor. The pure white walls seemed to glow a little more up here, and there were crystal formations in some areas which sparkled like prisms. The beauty was undeniable.

As they took the staircase up to the top third floor, Diana noticed something extremely strange about her surroundings, which had been slightly noticeable on the lower floor but was much more obvious up here. There were large rooms, hallways and corridors, and they seemed to occupy much more space than the outer walls of the structure should have allowed.

"Space itself seems to be altered inside your Fortress," Diana said. "Is this part of your weaponry?"

"One of the features of my Fortress is an experimental spacial displacement technology. It can bend linear space which allows more room to materialize within the interior walls than the exterior. It also has a special purpose which could turn out to be quite useful for the two of us."

"Oh, and what is that?" asked Diana as he led her to a door at the end of a lengthy corridor.

Kal opened the door and gently took her hand to lead her inside the inner room. It was large and sparsely furnished, almost spartan in its overall appearance. There were only a few tables and chairs, seemingly fit for meetings between heads of state more so than anything else. Still, the crystalline glow pervading every part of his Fortress was breathtaking. However, it was definitely in need of a woman's touch.

Before answering her question, Kal led Diana to a door tucked away down another short corridor. Opening it, he led her into a smaller room, but still somewhat grand from its devotion of space. There was a large silver bed with a lovely canopy hanging over it positioned on the far wall, with other lounge chairs placed around the room.

As Diana had been studying her surroundings, she had hardly noticed that Kal had let go of her hand and quietly slipped around to stand behind her.

"It's field absorbs all gravimetric distortions," his manly voice whispered in her ear. "You can be free here. Have you ever been able to truly feel, to touch, to fully embrace someone?" he asked as his strong hands slid along her womanly hips.

"I have not," said Diana, calmly stepping forward out of his grasp. "I had long ago accepted that such was not for The Wonder Woman of Themyscira."

"I've watched you for some time, whenever I could, from the skies," he whispered quietly to her. "I believe this meeting between us, this moment, was destined to be."

"Destined?"

"Jor, dim the illumination to minimal," Kal said, stepping past her and walking toward the center of the room. "Also, activate sofa design Eros."

At his words, the bedroom immediately darkened, while a set of three sparkling candlelights lit up from three of the four corners of the space. Before her very eyes, two articles of furniture blurred into existence directly in front of where King Kal-El stood. One was a wide white sofa, and the other a small accompanying chair. He slid his hand over the padding of the sofa, as if checking the softness and durability.

"What sort of sorcery is this?" Diana asked in surprise.

"This isn't sorcery, Princess, although that does exist here in the kingdom and it is useful when it can save lives. However, this is simply technology. This fortress is actually a craft from my world, and it contains various higher level advancements than what you have here on Earth, like my artificial intelligence which governs the fortress, and …"

"And the ability to alter matter," Diana followed.

"Not all matter, just the simulated form of matter which the fortress can create. It's malleable, and can be configured to virtually any design we choose. You will become familiar with all the technology of Krypton in time. Now, please, sit."

Diana hesitated. Her blood began to race, her breaths came shorter, and her heart beat a little faster. Holding her head high, she resisted.

"Please, Princess," Kal urged calmly, quietly acknowledging her reticence, but he would not be refused.

Walking over to the sofa, Diana turned and started to sit. Beside her, Kal went into hyper speed, his motion three times faster than the normal eye could follow. Before her torso laid back against the seating behind her, Kal had secured fastened her arms and legs to the sofa.

He had used her own lasso. There was no way she could get loose. It was impenetrable.

Diana gasped under her breath, his incredible speed catching her by surprise even though she believed she could match it if she were prepared for it. He had been incredibly smooth in his motions, and she had barely felt anything at all. She was even more amazed at how comfortable he had made her in her restraints. Testing her boundaries, Diana tried hard to raise her arms, but they securely held her immobile, although she didn't feel the lasso pressing into her skin at all.

"Now then, Princess, let us begin," he said as he started to step toward the chair beside the sofa.

At that moment, a female voice called in a quiet and hushed tone from beyond the bedroom door.

"O Great King? King Kal-El? My King? I'm here to serve you, My Lord," the voice called.

"Zatanna?" Kal called over his shoulder.

"Yes, King Kal-El," her voice filtered in from outside the closed door.

"A moment, Princess," Kal said politely as he turned and headed for the doorway.

As soon as he opened the door, a slender female figure slipped in, even though Kal obviously tried to only open it slightly.

As the two women locked eyes, Diana took in the woman's appearance. She was dressed in a very unique garb, somewhat between that of a court jester and an old fashioned witch. Her mouth and countenance fell as she openly stared at Diana.

Given her current situation, Diana expected to endure some haughty contrived comment regarding her predicament. Instead, deep within the woman's eyes, Diana saw only intense and extreme feelings of … jealousy and envy. It was blatantly obvious that she greatly wished that it were she bound on Kal's sofa in his bedroom instead of Diana.

"Zatanna, resident witch of The Krypton Empire, meet Diana, Princess of Themyscira," said Kal.

"K … King Kal-El," Zatanna stammered, having to tear her eyes away from Diana to gaze up at Kal. "This need not be done, My King," she whispered, barely holding back the desperation in her voice. "Just give me more time, please. I've still been trying other spells. I'm certain that i can find one which will make my body strong enough to withstand you. I know i can satisfy you, King Kal-El. Just please give me …"

"My dear Zatanna, we've spoken of this before," Kal said quietly but firmly. "You and your magic are far too valuable to The Empire to even think of risking harm coming to you. Your sorcery, magic and alchemy have saved many lives here. I cannot allow this between us to be."

"But you're the only one that has ever treated me like a person and not a witch, My King," Zatanna said with pleading eyes. "You do not fear my magic. I'm not an outcast with you. You … You make me feel like a woman instead of a witch."

"You only think you feel this way because of the kindness i have shown you," Kal said, genuinely touched by her emotions but undaunted in his answer. "Please, Zatanna, we can speak of this at another time. Did you bring the elixir?"

Reaching down into her corset between her breasts, Zatanna drew out a small vial. She didn't want to give it to him. Seemingly almost holding back tears, she reluctantly placed it into Kal's hand.

"Thank you, Zatanna," Kal said, gently taking her arm and leading her back out the door.

King Kal-El continued whispering comforting words to Zatanna as he led her out of the room. Now alone in the dimly lit bedroom, Diana fidgeted against her lasso again for a few moments, before finally settling down. There was no way she could escape this. As this thought crossed her mind, she heard the ominous sound of his footsteps returning.

Kal closed the bedroom door behind him, and Diana never took her eyes off of him as he strode to tower over her with his long cape trailing behind him majestically. He took a short moment to gaze down upon her before he gathered himself.

"Are you comfortable, Princess?" the deep manly bass of his voice asked.

"As can be, given the situation," Diana retorted, with more than a little defiance in her tone.

As he stared down at her, she rebuked herself for her response. She had consented to be here and to not defy him in any way. Well, she may not completely defy him, but she would always remain a spirited woman, and he would just have to learn to live with that.

"You're feeling a little uncertain. Let me try to reassure you," said Kal. "I told you earlier that i had known this moment would happen for quite some time, and i've been waiting for it. Here's more proof to you that you can believe my word."

Reaching down to touch a small button on a control panel set into the armrest of the second chair, Kal never took his eyes away from Diana's. Thinking she was in some kind of test of wills with him, probably the first of many, she kept her gaze locked upon his in return.

Suddenly, a line of candles lit up a space on the far wall directly in front of Diana, positioned so that she could face it directly from her sofa. After another moment, her eyes refocused on the wall.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her lips fell slightly open.

On the wall was an image … somehow three dimensional .. of her. It was an artistic rendering, complete with a sketching of the sky above her and the landscape below her. There was some distance from her, as if being admired from afar. Her body almost seemed to be glowing, and the work itself was truly a thing of beauty.

Diana actually remembered the moment which had been captured. It was from approximately three months ago. She had been sparring with Hessia near the shoreline, and Hessia had brought out a full regiment of warriors to try to push Diana hard. Diana had greatly enjoyed being able to cut loose a little, since she'd always had to control her strength and abilities with those around her so as not to harm them grievously, and that was the reason she had been smiling as she'd soared through the air in battle.

He … He must have been watching her even back then. He had already revealed that he knew much about her, so much so that she felt at a decided disadvantage to him in their engagement. Diana knew that she had to find out as much about him as he knew about her. Perhaps in this she could gain the advantage over him. She would need to draw him in close to her.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, Kal did exactly what she was thinking. He sat down in the power chair beside her, taking what seemed his rightful place in control of her.

"Now then, Princess," he said with a grin. "Shall we begin?"


	4. chapter three

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Late Night

The bedroom had already had a nice warm temperature in contrast to the pleasant cool night outside, but now it felt hot and heavy. The dim lighting of only the soft wall sconces gave the room an intimate atmosphere, and it was enhanced as the pure crystalline walls reflected the illumination and created tiny little flashing prisms which lit up intermittently. Literally, there was a sparkle in the air for Kal and Diana together.

As The Wonder Woman of Themyscira, Diana felt confident. After all, this king Kal-El was only a male, and she could handle the machinations of any man. Her overconfidence was in for somewhat of a shock.

"Do you know what this is?" Kal asked, holding up the small oval shaped vial he had procured from Zatanna.

The container itself was a lovely feminine pink color, with a ruby red liquid gel inside. The gel seemed to have a slight illumination from within it, barely visible but it was there nonetheless. Strangely, it appeared as if the gel was slowly flowing in a circular pattern even though the bottle was being held still. Its aura seemed almost … magical.

"How … How did you acquire this?" Diana asked as she sat up in surprise. "Elixirs like these are private on Themyscira and are never given to the outside world. Where did you get this from?"

"It was given to my mother, by one of your people," he answered honestly.

"My mother, the Queen of Themyscira, would never have allowed this," she replied sternly.

"Then, it seems, there is more going on in Themyscira than that of which the royal family was aware," he said. "Please allow me to explain something to you, Princess. I don't want you to think me a monster. You see, i require information from you, and you're going to give me what i need. I must know what your Amazon party was doing in the woods near my kingdom. I believe it's too soon of you joining our empire to ask you to betray your former sisters, so i must employ a different method to get my information. Are you aware of the side effects of the Elixir of Eros?"

"In addition to healing physical wounds, it can act as a truth inducer, similar to my golden lasso, but on a deeper level."

"You're very familiar with it," Kal said in surprise. "Have you ever partaken of it yourself?"

"No, never," she answered. "But it was created by one of my half brothers and i knew that it would be wise of me to be aware of all their possible tricks."

"Sofa, recline," Kal said.

At his words, the sofa began to reconfigure, and Diana could barely hold back the gasp which threatened to escape her at the sudden movement. The arms lifted and positioned so that her hands were crossed behind her neck, the legs split, and the back leaned at a fairly comfortable angle. Diana's body was now completely at Kal's mercy.

In perfect unison with the reconfiguring of the sofa, the adjoining chair smoothly slid along an invisible track and began to reposition in the middle of the sofa. Moving very purposefully, Kal walked in front of the sliding chair. As he walked, he pulled his upper garment over his head.

Still in motion, Diana watched him intently. Inadvertently, her eyes dropped to stare at his torso as he disrobed. The broad square planes of his pectoral muscles were pure perfection. She tried not to notice, and she forced her eyes to look away, even slightly turning her head to the side, but after a moment, her eyes slid to the sides to gaze at his body once again. Looking down, she could not believe the way his toned abdominal muscles perfectly matched each side. This King Kal-El looked like one of the Greek sculptures she had seen in various temples over the years. He was a walking Adonis. She didn't want to admit it, but this man was absolutely unbelievably gorgeous.

"So, tell me," Kal continued as he tossed his shirt over onto the bed a few feet away. "Since you are very familiar with the elixir, is it true that it only works if there is an emotional connection between the two people using it? I heard that, but i don't see how a simple lotion could have such discernment. Is this true?"

"It is," Diana answered, sounding much more calm and in control than she actually felt. "My half brother Eros designed it to be so."

Although she was determined not to break and show this king any of her emotions, Diana was experiencing feelings completely unlike any she had ever felt before in her life. Her heart was pounding, her blood was racing and a light sheen of sweat was breaking out all over her body. Her heart was hammering so hard under her breasts that she could hear it pounding in her ears.

"Well, then," Kal said with a sigh as he sat down in the chair facing Diana, their faces only a few inches apart. Now, she was practically sitting in his lap. "I suppose you may not have any cause for concern."

"Whatever this night holds, The Wonder Woman of Themyscira shall prevail," Diana said proudly.

"I seek information primarily, Wonder Woman. All else is secondary, but, the pleasure is very welcome to me. Perhaps it shall be to you, also. Maybe you will find clues to the mystery you seek as well. I won't attempt to stop you. Trust me. We shall find our answers together."

Moving very slowly, Kal opened the top of the elixir. Diana watched intently as he only slid his thumb across the tip of the bottle, gathering just a miniscule amount of gel, and reached forward to gently slide his thumb over her soft lips. Then, he again swiped his thumb across the top and put some gel on his own lips.

And ... tenderly taking her in his arms … Kal kissed Diana.

The response was instantaneous. Diana's lips parted wide in a startled gasp, and did Kal's. This had the inadvertent effect of deepening their kiss and sealing them together.

In one moment, they were joined. He was inside her. He was so so so very deep inside her. There was no longer any way to tell where he ended and she began. Kal and Diana were truly one.

It was a first kiss for both of them, and even with these circumstances, the magic synergy was undeniable.

Diana's body was suddenly overwhelmed with extreme desire. It flooded through every cell, tissue and pore of her. She was heated, hot and bothered, barely able to contain a wanton fire which had welled up from inside her. The feelings being induced weren't foreign at all. On the contrary, it felt as if all her years of loneliness and youthful desperate energy over never being able to have physical intimacy were suddenly unbottled in one moment.

Initially, only one vision began to dominate Diana's psyche. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop seeing the magnificent image of Kal taking his shirt off. The sight of that perfect male specimen hovered before her constantly, and this time she gazed at him without reservation, memorizing every single contour of his torso.

Diana tried to squeeze her eyes shut, and Kal slipped in even deeper …

… and suddenly, in her mind's eye, Diana found herself deep in her past when she was a very young woman, hovering above a small hidden city which only she knew about. It was a land off the far shores of Themyscira, where Diana had ventured out to help the oppressed women of a brutal tribe. When the women had defected and tried to leave their cruel male mates, the men had hunted the women like animals. Secretly venturing into the outside world to explore her powers and abilities, Diana had quickly intervened. She had beaten back the entire tribe of men, and then helped the women to find a place concealed within a hilled landscape which would keep them hidden and safe. She had never told anyone on Themyscira about her adventures like this one.

On this particular day, she had recovered a lost child and brought the young boy back to his mother. As the women thanked and praised Diana, the mother had lifted her son up into her arms and hugged him tightly. Diana had stared on, joyful and yet somber at the same time. Pleased that she had returned the child to her mother, but also confronted by the thought that moments like this were something she would never have, as no man would ever be strong enough to be her equal.

And then, she looked up … and he was there.

Kal hovered a short distance away, his body partially transparent, watching her closely. Diana recoiled slightly, knowing that he was now seeing this moment in her mind though the elixir. Oh no, he was in her deepest memories. There would be no part of her that she could keep hidden from him.

Kal floated toward her, and Diana backed away from him …

… and slipped back into the physical realm, as the incredible effects of the elixir continued to flow all through their bodies. It was as if Cupid himself had been waiting for the two of them and was finally able to be released from long imprisonment. Activated only if something real existed between the couple using it, the elixir was sent into overdrive by the hidden wealth of emotions that inherently existed in this love relationship which was destined to be in all universes throughout space and time. The elixir merely allowed what was inside the couple to flow freely.

With her long legs positioned on either side of Kal's waist, his incredibly pleasurable assault upon her senses quickly began to overwhelm her. He was suckling on her neck, and he had found some kind of sweet spot just under her right ear, which he was paying special attention to. His kissing sent tingles over her skin, then warmth pouring to her core, and her both her legs started to shake uncontrollably.

Now having some knowledge of exactly how to give Diana's body pleasure, and gaining some intuition of how to navigate her mind, Kal increased his intensity. He knew what he needed to do. He needed to give her more pleasure. He continued to search Diana's mind for his answer, and through the elixir, his body responded with the physical motions to deepen the mental fusion. He continued to sensuously kiss, suckle and nibble on the side of her neck, able to experience how much she needed his touch through their bond. He wanted to savor every inch of her.

With the most pleasurable sensations she had ever experienced in her life washing over Diana from Kal's ministrations, her mouth fell open in a heated gasp. The elixir held her inhibitions of fear, doubt and anger in check, allowing only the physical feelings to move to the fore.

As Kal's strong hands moved up to rub the sides of Diana's ample heaving breasts, she was instantly inundated by the pure sensations of true touch. All her life, even the most firm instances of touch had only ever registered to her as feather light. But now, in this moment, she was being fully exposed to the complete realm of sensation all at once. Even to a woman of her poise and strength, Kal was absolutely overwhelming.

Reaching over from the sides of her breasts, Kal grabbed hold of the center of Diana's bodice, and then ripped it off of her. Wasting no time, Kal leaned down and wrapped his lips around her right areola. Diana heard a loud moaning resounding throughout the quiet room, and it took her a long moment to realize that it was coming from her. His hands began to knead and massage her large breasts as he moved from one taut nipple to her other, sucking with hard pressure, biting and nipping. Nothing had ever felt so good to her, and she arched her back, pushing her breasts more into him. Diana's body craved more of him.

Wrapping his left arm around her waist as her back was raised off the chair, Kal began to slide her right hand along her thigh, moving her dress up with his fingers as he did so. With a single twist of his thumb, her panties were torn off, the soaking wet undergarment left dangling from his wrist. With sensuous precision, his fingers slipped over her navel and slowly began to slide lower.

Gasping for air, Diana threw her head back, and Kal slid deeper inside …

… until she was back standing on the overlook platform of the Themysciran palace. Her mother and her Amazon sisters were standing around her just as she remembered. The conversation proceeded exactly as it had before. As Diana looked over to stare at Circe, she caught sight of the ethereal Kal standing beside her, listening intently.

Diana turned away, not wanting him to hear more of their conversation …

… and slipped right back into his warm strong arms. Their hips were pressed together now, involuntarily aching for the two of them to be fully joined as one. His muscular left arm wrapped around her lithe feminine waist had actually lifted her out of the chair and sat her slim firm butt on top of his massive manhood. Her hands were still bound by her own lasso behind her head, and her body was tilted at an angle almost signifying that she completely belonged to him.

Kal could feel from Diana that he was close to his information. He wanted to push her over the edge, and he knew how to take her there. Holding Diana tightly with his left arm, Kal slid his right hand down until his manly fingers were brushing over the tip of her dripping wet innermost sensitivity. Watching Diana draw a sharp gasping breath and arch her back even higher in response, Kal rubbed her softly over her core. Then, he paused, and suddenly sent his fingers into superspeed.

Climaxing instantly, Diana's body reacted as if she had just been plugged into an electric socket. Her back arched high out of the chair, she began to convulse back and forth violently, and she spasmed harshly against his waist. The strength of his hand would have ravaged the body of a normal lesser woman, but to Diana, it was beyond heavenly. At the top of her lungs, she screamed out his name.

"Kalll!"

Diana felt her body explode from the inside ...

… and then, she was running through the forest with her Amazon sisters, sneaking toward The Kingdom of Krypton. She recalled the exchange between she and Artemis over Donna, their words revealing the purpose of their mission. Then, she caught sight of Kal, standing very close beside Donna, watching the events transpire.

Diana's visage fell. She felt as if she had lost. Kal had found the information he wanted.

Then, she regained herself. No, she had not lost. She just had to figure out how to fight back. She remembered that the elixir was initiated by mental contact through physical stimulation, and vice versa. Now, she would go on the offensive. It was time to fight fire with fire, or rather, love with love ...

… in the physical, Diana quickly leaned forward and fastened her lips onto Kal's own. She breathed her screams of orgasm into his mouth, catching him off guard with her sudden veracity. Deepening the kiss, they continually slid their lips all along one another synonymously. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, tasting him, dueling as he responded in earnest. Keeping him mesmerized by continually kissing him through her intense spiking, she had him off balance. Diana may have been the one tied up, but now she had Kal right where she wanted him …

… and, in their joined minds, she was suddenly in a room, large and lined with various elaborate weapons. A loud harsh sound from behind her breaking the silence made her turn around. Standing in the center of the room was a tall man towering over a small child, his fists slamming into the young boy mercilessly. Watching the exchange off to the side was a slim lithe woman, pacing back and forth with her arms folded, her stern eyes expertly hiding a deep compassion which only another warrior woman could discern. All three of them were dressed in black war attire.

With a hard thrust, the small boy knocked the man backward, actually sending him soaring through the air to slam against the far wall of the room. With anger, the man stood to his feet and started to charge toward the youngling. On unsteady legs, the boy forced himself to stand to his feet. Although his face was bruised and bloody, he raised his arms in a battle stance. As the man reached the edge of their sparring circle, the woman stepped over to his side. She placed a firm hand on the side of his chest, not at all forceful but firmly expressing her opinion.

At her unspoken request, the man stopped. The two of them were obviously bonded on a very deep level and knew each extremely well. It was the kind of acquaintance forged in the fires of war and combat, the camaraderie of those which have faced life and death together innumerable times in countless battles. After glancing down into her firm eyes, the man nodded in approval to the boy and then stomped out of the room. The woman turned and gazed upon the boy with a mother's pride.

Diana stared at the young boy's face, and recognized him as Kal. The man and woman were almost undoubtedly the Zod and Faora which he had told her about. This was his childhood. How very unfortunate. There was a difference between training and beating. Diana looked at his marred face, handsome even at a young age. Then, Diana noticed Kal wiping blood leaking down his forehead out of his eyes so he could see her more clearly. Her warrior's heart feeling compassion for this abused young Kal, but unwilling to show it, Diana turned away …

… and turned to face a horrible scene of war. An entire large village encampment was on fire, with black smoke rising high into the sky. Citizens were running to and fro, literally scrambling for their very lives. Diana could easily recognize this as the aftermath of a massive battle.

Then, she caught sight of Zod and Faora, walking away with a small cadre of warriors, obviously having just been victorious over a much larger platoon of fighters which had fallen before them. Off the side stood a teenaged Kal, intently watching the two of them leaving. Once they were far enough away, Kal broke into swift action. Moving with incredible speed, he began to move through the crumbling encampment. He rescued various women, children and a few men, saving them from certain deaths. The people looked upon him as their hero.

As he moved farther through the city, Diana started to follow him, rounded a corner ...

.. and found herself standing in a large central city square. The Fortress stood tall with its constant illumination not too far away, and she knew that this was the center of the Krypton encampment. A large crowd was gathered in front of the entrance to The Fortress, where the mature Kal stood with The Knight, Miss Selina and a few others. He was being addressed by many people, several of them some of the same faces she had just watched him save from the burning cities.

Diana could discern what was happening. Probably after the murders of Zod and Faora, Kal may have been preparing to release the conquered provinces, but the people of those lands, knowing his quality of character from the good deeds he had provided for them in secret, openly requested that he become their king. With some reluctance, Kal raised his right hand, and the entire congregation burst into thunderous joy and applause.

Diana wanted to get to know more about this king, but she still had to solve the Themysciran mystery first. She knew where she needed to go. Leaping into the air, she turned toward the coastline of Themyscira …

… and immediately landed with Kal, Faora, Kara and Karen. They walked forward a short distance with Faora holding Kal's hand. Diana could sense that this was an unusual moment of closeness between mother and son, and she herself was reminded that even the most hardened woman warrior can still have a caring heart. They walked a short distance to a small clearing, and then Faora took Karen and Kara with her as they moved out of sight into the woods ahead.

Only women proceeding. No men. This was almost certainly one of the encounters she needed to witness. Diana knew she should follow Faora, but she could only remain in Kal's presence in these past memories.

Kal waited a few long moments before soaring upward into the sky, and Diana followed him through the clouds. Then, to her surprise, he halted his flight and stared intensely at something in the distance.

Diana traced his line of sight to … herself … hovering above the shore of Themyscira, sparring with Hessia's forces, in the exact pose which Kal kept on his bedroom wall.

She had made her way to the right moment, but she needed to see more. Faora was almost certainly meeting with someone from her island, and Diana was determined to discover who had been in contact with them. This couldn't have been the first meeting. Diana needed to go deeper into Kal's mind …

… but her flesh was weak. Diana was lost. Her system was simply in an overload of pleasure too intense for any woman to handle. As much as she wanted to continue to search his mind and simultaneously soak up as much of what Kal was giving her in the physical as she was able to, she could feel her consciousness slipping away from her. Kal wasn't slowing his hand down at all, and her body had become one spiking hot continuous climax. As soon as one orgasm began to subside, another built up right behind it and burst over in seconds. Diana couldn't believe that her body was still perspiring, because she felt as if Kal had forced out every drop of moisture within her from these countless orgasms. A woman's body could only handle just so much pleasure.

Slowly, the constant shaking, convulsing and trembling of her body began to slow. Diana's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her breathing became shallow. Her head slipped to the side.

Their connection was broken.

Instantly, Kal took his tongue out of Diana's mouth and surged backward onto the chair behind him. His eyes were glazed and his breathing labored, as if he were a man waking from a dream. He began to gather himself as he stared at his unconscious Princess.

That elixir was … incredible. He had been completely out of control. When Diana had passed out, she had disconnected their link through the elixir. Until that point, he had been a madman. Honestly, he wasn't sure what he may have done to her if she hadn't passed out.

Kal ran his hands over his face as he tried to steady himself. He desired Diana so badly that his body was practically calling out for her. But, he didn't want her like this. If things were to come to full fruition between them, he wanted her to experience every bit as much as and even more pleasure than himself. He had learned to control his power his whole life, and he would reign himself in now.

With a deep sigh, he reached forward and released Diana from her lasso. Then, with the tender care of a lover, he slipped one arm under her thighs and the other around her waist to cradle her against him as he lifted her out of her chair. Carrying Diana gently, Kal quietly made his way over to his bed.

This night was only the beginning ...

As the first rays of morning sunlight began to break over the rainbow colored skyline, all was still and quiet over the land. In accordance with the sun, the glow of The Fortress slowly began to intensify. In contrast to the pivotal events of the previous evening, a gentle peace had seemingly fallen over everything.

The upper third floor of The Fortress was warm and cozy, in contrast to its usual slight chill. The bedroom itself held a firm warmth, a result of the energies unleashed within its walls last night. As the morning sun rose over the horizon, the north wall of The Fortress began to morph into a transparency, allowing a clear view of the glorious sight.

Kal had designed it to be so. No matter how many times he had seen it, he loved to watch the rising sun whenever he could to absorb its beauty. However, on this particular morning, he wasn't gazing upon the glory of the horizon.

This morning, there was a far more beautiful sight in his bed.

In the still quiet of the pure white crystalline bedroom, Princess Diana of Themyscira lay soundly sleeping on the chest of King Kal-El of The Krypton Empire.

And Kal … couldn't take his eyes off of her.

He had been simply watching her sleep for the last three hours. He had told himself not to touch her, but he had been unable to keep his hands to himself. Moving of its own volition, his hand had been tenderly stroking her long soft hair for the last hour. His physique was rigid and desperate for her, but he restrained himself from touching her any farther. Although her slumber seemed to have been somewhat troubled, understandably so given her situation, she had calmed a little after his touch soothed her for a while. Sometimes, she would even snuggle more deeply into his chest. No matter how hard he tried, Kal simply couldn't stop touching Diana.

She was just … so … lovely. Diana was the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes on. Last night, things had moved fast and everything had been caught up in the moments, but now he had a chance to simply pause and gaze upon her, and the woman was absolutely breathtaking.

The third volley of incessant pounding knocking on his bedroom door threatened to try to draw Kal out of his Diana reverie, but he ignored it once again.

Unfortunately, the noise finally disturbed his resting Princess. Diana stirred a little, the loud noise finally having jarred her awake. She was groggy, still very disoriented from exploring the unusually vivid memories within her mind last night. The pillow beneath her cheek felt so good and comfortable. It must have been something that her mother had gotten for her, as she used to bring her sweet treats when she had been a little girl. Then, Diana remembered Donna. Then, The Kingdom of Krypton. Then …

Kal. King Kal-El. King Kal-El of Krypton.

Instantly, Diana's head snapped up off of Kal's chest. Her bushy sexy bed head hair fell all over her face as her eyes began to refocus and clear.

He was there, and she was in his bed. They were laying on top of his covers. His chest had been her pillow. He had been stroking her hair, and watching her sleep. In his eyes, there was a stare of … affection … for her. His eyes were so blue. Cerulean. She could get lost in them. Diana shook her head a little as she tried to clear her mind. Realizing that her torso was now completely bare in front of him, Diana reached down and grabbed the first thing her hand could find to cover her breasts.

Still gazing down at her with complete adoration if not what had probably been 'love at first sight,' Kal had to hold back a bright smile so as not to unsettle her. She had class, self respect and style, and he only began to adore her even more seeing these qualities.

However, what made him beam with joy was the fact that the garment she had just wrapped herself in … was his cape.

"Good morning, Diana," his manly voice swam through her ears.

"Good morning, Kal," she responded off hand as she tucked strands of her hair behind her ear.

"'Kal,'" he said proudly. "I like that. No one else has ever been familiar enough with me to call me that."

"Well …"

Diana's response was interrupted by yet another round of loud pounding on the door.

"Shouldn't you answer that?" Diana asked, looking over at the closed passageway.

Kal only continued staring at her, as if her words hadn't even registered to him.

"Kal," she said a little more strongly. "Shouldn't you open the door?"

"Duty calls, i suppose," Kal answered her, reluctantly moving to get out of the bed.

He slid from under her as Diana moved over, and she ran a hand through her hair trying to gather herself. She wondered how far things had gone between them, since she couldn't remember anything after she had passed out from the intensely overwhelming sensations of pleasure. Diana knew her body well, so she could feel that she was still intact, and as Kal stood up in front of her she took note of the fact that he still had on his lower garments.

At the same time, it was impossible not to notice his waist garments, or rather, the mountainous manhood underneath them. He was positively huge. Diana brushed some of her hair back over her eyes to keep her from staring at his manliness. As she watched, he proceeded to stride over to the bottom of the bed and reach to pick up a dark blue robe. Absentmindedly, Diana's eyes moved up to openly stare at the rippling planes of his muscular back. The man was absolute pure masculine perfection.

Then, Diana realized what must be happening, and her heart started pounding.

Oh … no. The effects of the elixir. She had never before heard anything about the elixir leaving a lasting effect, but that must be what was happening to her. Diana laid back on Kal's bed as she ran her hands through her hair in exasperation.

How could she possibly function on a daily basis while being constantly insanely attracted to the most handsome man in the universe, who also seemed to be just as completely enamored with her as well?


	5. Chapter four

Although Kal only opened the door slightly ajar, it immediately burst open. He stepped back with a sigh, tightening the sash on his robe as he allowed entrance. He was the epitome of the kind powerful king acquiescing to the needs of his people.

A small entourage consisting of The Knight, Miss Selina, and a number of high ranking provincial overseers spilled into the entranceway. All of them had minor issues from the people under them to bring to The King. Because King Kal-El was always just and fair, his people called upon him often. He greeted the overseers with a kind smile as they began peppering him with questions and requests, comically talking over one another in their haste.

Given her state of undress with just the covers on top of her, Diana was taken aback as they entered the bedroom. Her still dreary mind had thought that Kal might perhaps shoo the visitors away and then come back to bed. Even though she now knew Kal deeply and intimately from the effects of the elixir during their time together last night, she still did her best not to admit to herself that part of her wished that had happened.

Then, a light breeze blew over Diana, and in the space of less than one second, an aroma of sweet smelling morning delicacies floated over the bed. A large tray of breakfast treats had suddenly been placed on the bedside table. There was a figure standing over her.

"Wow, you're a wonder!" Wally's voice said loudly as he ogled her.

"Flash," Kal called calmly.

He was gone from the bedside and over at King Kal's side instantly.

"Kal-El, we have a great many things to discuss," Bruce said firmly as he followed Selina to cut through the crowd to stand beside Kal. "There is the matter of the two captives from the Darkseid army which we must address. I know that you prefer to preside with more of a democracy than a dictatorship, but you and i should have made a judgement and have contingency plans in place."

"Or course, my friend," said Kal, placing a comforting hand on Bruce's shoulder. "I value your tactical and strategic mind."

"The Darkseid army …"

Suddenly, they were interrupted as a fire hot screech of pure rage pierced through the small crowd.

"Where is she?!" hollered Lady Maxima as she charged into the room.

As soon as Maxima's eyes caught sight of Diana in Kal's bed, they began to glow red in anger. With a feral growl which seemed to be the exact opposite of what should have been the dignified posture of a regal lady, Maxima tore into a run. In her haste, she pushed Bruce aside and bumped into Selina with a short thump which was powerful enough to send Selina flying through the air to slam hard against the wall on the other side of the room.

"Die!" cried Maxima as she leaped into the air and soared toward the bed.

With amazing agility, Diana brought both her legs up, raising her knees to her chest, and then kicked outward as soon as Maxima reached her hands forward to try to claw her eyes out. Diana's feet impacted solidly with Maxima's chest and sent her cascading right back the way she had came. Maxima slammed into the wall behind her so hard that the entire room seemed to shake and reverberate momentarily. All of the small crowd of onlookers covered their mouths from the thunderous impact, trying not to laugh at the humor of Maxima's being laid out for attacking Diana.

Smoothly spinning off the bed, Diana grabbed Kal's cape and expertly wrapped it around herself like a garment of Roman toga lingerie in less than a second as she broke down into a stylish warrior stance.

As for himself, King Kal found that he had to struggle to maintain his composure. Diana hadn't realized that as she had donned his cape, her placement had inadvertently been perfect. The majestic S symbol of hope lay directly over her chest, as if it belonged there and was always meant to be so.

As the other onlookers stared at Princess Diana in awe, Bruce didn't even stop to see Maxima slump to the floor holding her head weakly. Suddenly, the famed crusader known for his complete dedication to justice had only one concern in the world. Selina.

"Are you alright?" asked Bruce, hurriedly cuddling Selina with one arm around her shoulders and the other lifting her slim waist up to sit in his lap.

She was badly dazed and disoriented, as with Lady Maxima's strength being on the level of those such as Kal and Diana, the slightest touch could crush a normal person. Bruce held her tightly, and she snuggled against him, using his grounding touch to stop her world spinning from her offset equilibrium. However, even though her vision was blurred, the rare opportunity before her was crystal clear, and she wasn't going to miss it.

"Mmm, i am now," she purred, looking up to gaze into Bruce's eyes, adoring the loving concern for her which was all too sparse from him. "You know, i'll let Maxima kick me around a lot more if this is the treatment you give me when she does."

As usual, often times when moments like these happened between them, the Knight retreated into silence. However, as always, his actions spoke louder than his words. Bruce continued holding Selina close, their faces only inches apart.

Selina tried to resist, to be as stolid as he, but she simply couldn't. She loved … cared .. for him just too much to control herself sometimes. Of its own volition, her hand began to slide along his shoulderblade, then sensuously over his neck, and finally onto his cheek, carefully starting to draw his lips toward her own.

For a moment, he moved with her, but then, he retreated, pulling away from her. Before Selina could fully process that they hadn't kissed, Bruce was lifting her up to stand on her feet. Then, without a backward glance, he turned his back to her and walked away.

Watching him walk away from her, Selina was so flustered and frustrated that she wanted to slam her hands on her hips. Even after all these years, they were still dancing this knight waltz with one another. However, just as her anger threatened to get the better of her, she looked down and caught sight of Diana's golden lasso lying on the floor, and an idea came to her.

Across the room, Kara and Karen entered and each took an arm to help Lady Maxima stand to her feet. This time, Maxima didn't resist at all, as she was still far too dazed and disoriented to even balance herself. Since the short battle was obviously over with Princess Diana as the victor, the entourage surrounding Kal quickly resumed crowding him with their concerns.

"Ease down now, Warrior Princess. Take it easy," Selina said as she walked over to Diana, placed a hand on her outstretched forearm and calmly drew her over to sit on the edge of the bed beside her. "I think we can help each other. I have a proposition for you."

"I don't really need anything, Miss Selina, but I appreciate your concern," Diana immediately refused, not yet ready to open herself to trust.

"Wait, listen, just hear me out," Selina urged in a comical conspiratorial whisper. "As Headmistress, I can help you. I could figure out a way to keep The Lady Maxima off your back."

"As you can see, Miss Selina," Diana said proudly. "I have her situation well under control."

"Okay, you broke me. Fine. I need your help. You'll be doing me a favor. Help a sister out?"

"What do you need?"

"One simple little thing. Just tell … The Knight there … that I stole this from you," Selina said as she held out Diana's lasso to her.

Diana was impressed and raised an eyebrow in surprise. This woman was indeed highly skilled. Diana couldn't even tell how Miss Selina had concealed her lasso or where she had drawn it from.

"Why exactly would you want me to do that? asked Diana.

"It's complicated," Selina said quickly. "You won't be lying. I did take it. Just help me?"

"Well, I …"

"Knight? Oh, Knight?" Selina called in a high pitched voice. "It would seem The Princess has a transgression to report."

"What's happened, My Lady?" Bruce asked firmly as he left the small mob swarming Kal and stomped over to stand in front of them. "I assure you, Princess, injustice will not be tolerated. I know you are unfamiliar with Krypton, but know that i am helping King Kal-El to build a kingdom of truth, justice and righteousness within its borders. Whatever grievance you have will be dealt with swiftly."

"She says I stole her golden lasso," Selina blurted out.

"What? Is this true?" growled Bruce.

"I … I found it in her possession," said Diana.

"Forgive me, Princess Diana," Bruce grumbled through gritted teeth. "As Head Magistrate and Constable of The Kingdom of Krypton, the prevention of crime and distribution of judgement is under my jurisdiction. I accept full responsibility for this."

"All things considered, Knight," began Diana. "I don't believe the offense was very grave and certainly does not warrant …"

"Understand something, Princess," he interrupted her. "This is not an isolated incident. As Headmistress of The Kingdom of Krypton, Miss Selina has been exemplary in her duties, but before coming here she was the most prolific thief in our home province of Gotham. She is indeed a shining symbol in that she was the only person i ever personally saw change for the better in that entire city after spending a lifetime fighting to save it. However, some of her old tendencies do seem to linger."

"Oh, really, Knight, you don't know the half of it," Selina whispered in mock anger. "I've been stealing things from her since she set foot in The Kingdom. She only found the lasso. I've got other items stashed away. You'll just have to search me for them."

The seemingly stolid Knight was suddenly almost livid. Reaching forward, he snatched Selina up off the bed and held her tightly by her forearms as he angrily stared into her eyes, close enough for them to exchange heated breaths. Selina stared right back, her eyes full of calm daring.

Diana was taken aback by this surprising outburst. One thing was obvious, the sexual tension between these two was so overflowing that it was almost tangible. There was almost a visible steam rising off of them together, and the space around them was suddenly hot and humid. Diana was certain that her half brother Eros knew these two and knew them extremely well.

"I'll be in your quarters. Midnight. Tonight," he growled.

Selina eyed him for a long hot moment, then, seductively, she leaned forward, slipped her tongue out, and licked him over his lips.

Diana glanced around for something to fan herself. After the night she had just spent with Kal, this steaming hot exchange was the last thing she needed to see. These two needed to get a room, or go to Selina's quarters, right now instead of waiting until midnight.

For just a fleeting second, a small grin, almost a smile, touched the edges of his lips. Then, gathering himself, Bruce pushed Selina back down on the bed and stomped his way back over to the other side of the bedroom.

Transfixed, Selina stared after Bruce. Diana imagined that if Eros were there with them, he would probably make little hearts spin out of her eyes. With Bruce gone, Selina started to relax her tough woman demeanor. Her large breasts began to heave as if she were trying to catch her breath, there was a slight tremble in her body and her skin had a light sheen of sweat breaking out all over it.

Still gazing at Bruce, Selina reached down and snatched a hold of Diana's hand squeezing tightly. Immediately, Diana noticed that her hand was shaking badly. Shocked, Diana wondered if this woman had just … climaxed … simply from his handling of her. Whatever the history was between these two, it must indeed be very interesting.

Selina looked at Diana. Diana looked at Selina. The two women broke into a shared laugh. It was the blossoming of a deep friendship.

Moments later, Kal was able to break away from his entourage, leaving Bruce relaying the specifics of his instructions, and walked to the bed to stand over Diana and Selina.

"Miss Selina," Kal said quickly. "I would like for The Princess to be present at our afternoon meetings. Please see that she is given your highest treatment."

"Excuse me, King," Selina said as both she and Diana stood up. "You don't usually request the participation of the ladies in the judgement meetings. Also, did you just request my best service for her?"

"Yes, please," Kal said, already turning to go back to see to his constituents.

"Well, then, i will need you and your men to all leave the fortress immediately," Selina said firmly.

"Excuse me?" Kal asked with a slight laugh as he turned back around to face them, looking from Diana's surprised face back to Selina. "This is my home."

"And has some of the best amenities i've ever seen which you never use," Selina said smugly. "It seems that Princess Diana has given me an excuse to finally partake of them."

"Miss Selina," began Diana. "We don't need to proceed in excess on my account. I …"

"Work with me here, Sister," Selina mock whispered to Diana, knowing that King Kal could hear her perfectly. "As King, you placed me in complete charge of all feminine affairs, correct?" she said to Kal.

"Yes," he answered with a playful frustrated grin. "Yes, i did."

"Then, you and your men are to leave," said Selina. "The top two floors of your grand Fortress now belong to Princess Diana. You can still have the lower deck."

"King Kal-El," Bruce said as he walked over to stand beside him. "Is anything amiss here?"

"Well," Kal said with a jovial sigh. "It seems that Princess Diana has evicted me from my own bedroom."

"Explain," said Bruce sternly.

"Later, my friend," Kal said as he placed a hand on his shoulder and turned them toward the door. "Everything shall be as you wish, Miss Selina," he called out as they walked out of the room, taking the small entourage along with them.

"Time for some girls' morning pampering," Selina said with a bright beaming smile.


	6. chapter five

In this Medieval world, the comforts of luxury were often very hard to come by. Most of the time, the proclivities of simple existence demanded all of one's focus. However, every once in a while, there were exceptions.

The second floor of The Fortress belonging to King Kal-El of The Krypton Empire had been converted into a grand lady spa on account of Princess Diana of The Isle of Themyscira. The advanced technology of the structure allowed it to be reconfigured to nearly anything which could be required. Working with the artificial intelligence program Jor-El, Miss Selina had created an area designed for maximum female relaxation and pampering.

A large warm pool now ran the entire length of the floor.

Smoky haze covered the warm atmosphere of the room, giving it a light sauna feel. The ceiling had been made transparent, allowing the pure light to filter in through the crystalline composition of the ceiling. Consequently, little sparkles glittered above the water and reflected off of its surface.

In one corner of the steaming smoky pool, Diana treaded the water with Selina behind her, leisurely running a comb through Diana's long black tresses. In the center of the water, Lady Maxima, Karen and Kara swam laps back and forth along its length. The mood was comfortable and calm, but still somewhat tense.

Maxima and Diana were eying one another intermittently, two queen lionesses continuing to size up the other.

Miss Selina watched their exchanges for some time before she decided to garner Diana's attention.

"So, tell me, Princess, you must have questions. As Head Mistress, it's my duty to answer them and give you a guide to understanding our kingdom. What's on your mind?"

Diana thought for a moment, then she nodded toward Lady Maxima athletically cutting through the water like a queen shark.

"Why did she call me a homewrecker?"

"Her misguided ambitions," Selina answered. "I'll tell you her story. Lady Maxima of Almerac crash landed here a short time ago. The technology of her ship sought out that of The Kryptonians', and Maxima needed them for repairs. She had planned to fix her ship and go back to the stars, but at the second she saw Prince Kal-El, she decided she would never leave. She's been after him ever since she first laid eyes on him, but he just doesn't feel the same about her."

"Were they ever officially involved?"

"No, not for a single moment," laughed Selina. "That's all in Maxima's mind. When Queen Faora bluntly notified the kingdom that she was perusing potential brides for her son, every woman was ablaze with desire. Both Karen and Kara, whose parents were friends of Kal's true father and mother and not blood related to Kal-El at all, were instant candidates. I felt that one or both of them would be the best choice by far, so I took them on as my personal aides to keep them close to him. As a woman, I wanted The Prince to be completely fulfilled as a man, and for that he would need a female capable of withstanding his full strength. However, Queen Faora did clearly favor Lady Maxima because she liked her propensity for conquering as a counterbalance to Prince Kal-El's peacefulness. Maxima felt that since Faora had chosen her, that Kal-El had as well. And, maybe eventually he might have done so, but it's all over now. I've seen the way he looks at you."

"Excuse me?" said Diana, looking over her shoulder at Selina. "What exactly do you mean?"

"There's a way that a real man gazes at a real woman, especially when his heart has been slipped away from him. He's never had the look in his eyes for any other woman. He has it for you," Selina said definitively. "That's why Maxima called you a homewrecker. She sees it, too. She knows she's lost. The search is over."

"And this look you speak of," countered Diana. "I see it between you and The Knight. What's your story?"

"Well, it's simply complicated. We grew up in a small province called Gotham, a long way from here. It was a crime infested God forsaken city, the kind of place everyone there just wanted to get out of. Everything was corrupt, from the cartels to the elders in charge. We met when we were young, and there was something between us. But, tragedy caused us to separate."

"What happened?" Diana asked quietly.

"His family was slaughtered right in front of him. They were virtually the last of the good, upstanding people in the town. He disappeared for a time after that. I did the best I could to protect my own family, my older sister Magdalene and my younger sister Holly. We became thieves to stay alive, and I ended up with a little brood of girls which became known as the best robbers in the city. Some of the cartel heads would contract us to acquire items for them. I kept my girls intact and alive."

"But you lost them?"

"The Great Adversary often attacks in ways you don't see coming," said Selina in a heartfelt whisper, unnecessarily turning to the side to bathe the brush as she quietly struggled to hold herself together. False religion drove Maggie to take her own life and Holly got killed in a side deal that went bad. I left the rest of the girls with someone else in charge after that."

"Did you ever see them again?"

"Yes, I did, when Bruce returned."

"What happened?"

"When he came back, he was … different. The boy that I had loved … uhhh, cared about … was gone, replaced by what you now know as The Knight. He was darker, driven, determined. He still cared about me, but the anger over his parents had congealed into an inner hatred which he just couldn't get past. Ironically, we had ended up on opposite sides of the law. Still, I thought I was slowly getting through to him, bringing some measure of feeling back into his life. When he helped pull my girls out of a mess they'd gotten themselves into, we all reconnected. He even took on a small group of homeless young charges that he called The Outsiders and trained them to be his army. But then, things got worse."

"Worse?"

"A psycho madman dressed as a court jester started to terrorize the city. Every citizen was afraid of him, both good and bad. He beat the oldest of Bruce's sidekicks, a young boy named Jason, to death with a broken joust. Bruce changed after that. The death of that boy turned the good in him … into cruelty. He was eventually going to become just another victim of the dark province of Gotham. But Kal-El saved us."

"How so?"

"Gotham was too small for The Krypton Empire to notice. I later found out that King Zod and Queen Faora were planning to come back and conquer the province after they had taken over the rest of the region. Prince Kal-El took notice of us before his family. He came to the city, and he and Bruce joined forces. With Bruce's strategy and Kal-El's powers, they cleaned up the entire city. Together, they changed things … forever. When The Prince asked us to follow him, to help him do to the world what they had done to Gotham, we couldn't refuse. We were in his debt."

"So you chose to follow him?"

"Yes, we did. As have all the provinces under The Krypton Empire. The King is the only hope for this world."

"You believe in him?"

"All I ever saw in this world was bad. He is the only good I've ever seen. I do believe in him."

Just as Diana was going to ask Selina more about The King, the other three women slowly came swimming over to them. Their posture, particularly Lady Maxima's, was purposefully distant and careful, intended to be unassuming. Still, Selina started to float around to get in front of Diana, but Diana firmly held her aside with one arm.

"No trouble here, Maxima," Selina said firmly. "We're all just relaxing. This is too nice a setting for any foolishness."

"You're right, Miss Selina," Lady Maxima replied with feigned regal politeness. "Our Kingdom here is to be one of peace. If I am to reign as Queen, I must be a participant of that peace."

"You overstep your boundaries, Maxima," said Karen, dipping her hair in the warm water and smoothing it back. "The King hasn't chosen a Queen yet."

"He shall," Maxima replied, holding her head up in conceitedness. "And when he does, I shall bear the most powerful progeny this universe has ever seen."

"We'll see about that," Kara told her with a youthful smirk.

When Princess Diana didn't respond to her obvious bait, Lady Maxima swam over to float directly in front of her.

"A truce, then, Princess Diana," she said.

"A truce, but unnecessary," The Princess responded. "I have never harbored ill towards you, Lady Maxima."

"Well, I'm glad that we're all on the same team, now, girls," said Miss Selina. "It's time for us to make ourselves presentable and get to the main city hall for the judgement meetings. Let's roll."


	7. chapter six

Kingdom of Krypton

Noon

The grand meeting hall of The Kingdom of Krypton was composed of a large auditorium space with a raised platform situated in its center. The whole of the congregation of the people crowded around it in a large circle, with only standing room left as they prepared to observe and witness the proceedings. There was constant low commotion as everyone spoke in private and group conversations, all awaiting the beginning of this judgement meeting.

These recently instituted meetings for the judgements concerning affairs of The Kingdom were quite a novelty for the people. King Zod and Queen Faora had never listened to the concerns of the people and had not once even allowed them to observe any decisions which they made. Everyone had known years ago that Prince Kal-El would be a better king than his father Zod, but they hadn't expected that he would turn to be this good of a benefactor. The ways in which he chose to run his kingdom were becoming a joy to all.

In the center of the meeting hall, the northern end of the raised platform was dominated by a large round table, with some of the members of The League of Justice seated around it, including Baron Deathstroke and Leader Lobo. At its head, King Kal-El spoke privately with The Knight, the bond of their friendship obvious and evident. The other chairs at the table were for the other leaders of tribes and territories to observe the proceedings.

While still conversing with The Knight, King Kal-El took notice of three specific figures approaching the southern end of the platform. Lord Luthor and Zatanna were walking with a particular warrior between them, his posture bent low and trying to make himself discreet despite the fact that his height made him tower over most of those around him.

He was known as Victor Stone. Those whom had fought beside him in battle simply called him Stone, as he was known for his strength, valor and steadfastness in the face of adversity. He officially held the title of Kingdom Herald.

In the melee which had taken place during the night of the assassinations of King Zod and Queen Faora, Stone had fought the strange intruders valiantly, protecting the lives of several townspeople caught unawares. His body had literally been torn apart by the mysterious weapons used against him. Only the unique combination of the intellectual medical machinations of Lord Luthor and the arcane mystical magic of Zatanna had been able to save Stone's life by grafting metal partitions onto what was left of his physique. His survival was nearly miraculous, but he sadly now considered himself to be disfigured. He was still wearing the same war garments he'd had before his body had been changed, and they now fit him oddly, only adding to his extremely unusual appearance.

As the trio reached the edge of the platform, Zatanna stopped and stared at King Kal-El with a forlorn gaze. Being gracious, Kal nodded to her, thanking her for the incredible work she had wrought in saving Stone's life. After a long moment, she bowed to him, then walked over to stand in the front rows of the congregation.

Only Stone and Luthor walked up the short staircase onto the platform. Lord Luthor took his place at the far end of the round table opposite King Kal-El, while Stone walked toward a seat two chairs away. Both of them acknowledged The King with a short bow.

"How do you feel, Stone?" King Kal-El asked, beckoning him to approach.

"Still very uncertain, My Lord," Stone answered. "They have to work on my … parts … continually. I … I have come to accept my resignation as Herald of The Kingdom."

"What?" frowned King Kal-El. "Why would I want you to leave your position?"

"My … My appearance," Stone said with his head held low. "I … scare the people now. They won't want to see me anymore."

"Stone, my friend, give them time. They shall come to love you as before," King Kal-El said calmly. "There shall be no resignation."

"But, My King," Stone said with trepidation in his voice before looking over to The Knight. "Knighted One, surely you must agree with me. It's for the good of the people. Please persuade him."

"The King has spoken, Stone," The Knight said without hesitation. "I suggest you prepare to resume your duties."

"Sit by my side, my friend," said King Kal-El, before he once again turned to look off to his right side behind him.

"That's only the fiftieth time you've turned to await their entrance, Kal-El," Bruce said, calmly looking over official documents and starting to pass some of them over to Stone. "Staring isn't going to make her arrive any sooner. Ms. Selina will bring them promptly."

"I don't doubt your skills as a master investigator, Bruce," King Kal-El said with a smile. "However, are you suggesting that I'm awaiting someone in particular?"

"My King," Stone said as he leaned over in a comical conspiratorial lowered voice. "Rumor has it that you have a leader in the running for your bride. Zatanna couldn't stop whining about it as she and Lord Luthor were checking my injuries before the meeting here. They say you favor The Themysciran Princess Diana."

As if on cue, the crowd off to the right side in back of the northern end of the raised platform began to part, and a small line of women began to strut through the side of the congregation. All six were dressed in startlingly beautiful and colorfully ornate dresses. Each and every single one of them appeared to be a very viable choice for queen of a kingdom.

Side by side at the head of the procession, walked Miss Selina and Primary Designer Miss Mari Jiwe McCabe. Miss Mari was the daughter of the king of one of the most distant tribal regions, and she had come to King Kal-El to visit The Krypton Kingdom on behalf of her father. Upon her arrival, she had come bearing some of the most elegant and useful garments for the royal family that anyone had ever seen. Having enjoyed garment making in her tribe, it was discovered that Mari had quite an aptitude for it with the advanced technology of the empire, and Miss Selina had quickly requested that The King give her the rank of Primary Designer to take charge of all clothing for all the masses of people.

Walking closely behind them were Princess Diana, Lady Maxima, Karen and Kara. All of them wore attire which were adorned in their trademark colors. They were visions of pure feminine loveliness.

However, after taking notice of each one of them, Kal's eyes were unable to turn away from the sight of Princess Diana. It wasn't just the breathtakingly well filled out dress which Ms. Mari had designed for her, although staring at her in it did really get his blood moving, but more so the way she carried herself with such a regal air without being conceited. She seemed to be the epitome of grace, courage, power and wisdom, making her quite The Wonder.

He was staring.

"Could you be any more obvious?" Bruce asked sarcastically.

"Was I staring?" Kal asked with a grin as he finally looked away.

"Not really," Stone followed the humor of his two comrades. "I don't even need the one good eye that's left to see how hard you were staring."

"King Kal-El, the women will require seating," said Bruce.

"Flash!" King Kal-El called loudly.

In a breeze of wind, Wally stood beside the table with a gentlemanly bow.

"At your service, My King," he answered.

"Go see your friend Hal the cook and have him donate some chairs from his special event pantry," ordered The King. "The ladies will need seats. Please hurry."

"You should give me a challenge sometime," grumbled Wally with a grin.

In twelve seconds, six chairs were positioned lining the podium behind The King's chair.

King Kal-El didn't bother to thank him, already knowing that Wally would have shot back to the food preparation stable to joke with Hal the cook about the fact he had taken the chairs before asking.

Reaching the small staircase leading up to the raised platform, Selina stopped walking and let the other ladies past her.

"Knight!" she called quietly. "Knight! Your services are needed."

Always catching her voice even when she gave the softest cry, Bruce was at the edge of the podium almost instantly.

"How may I be of assistance, My Lady?" he spoke firmly.

"I'm still a little dizzy from that blow earlier this morning," she told him, holding out her hand for him to take as she gingerly placed a heel on the first step. "I need your arm. Help me up."

Without a moment's hesitation, Bruce had not only taken Selina's hand, but had slipped down the steps to slide his arm around her waist and hold her close. As they walked up the steps side by side together, Selina smiled inwardly. If this was the kind of attention she got when she was injured, she would have to make a regular practice of having Maxima or Diana knock her around some more. Oh yes, she was going to milk this for all it was worth.

As Bruce guided Selina to take her seat in the first chair placement, King Kal-El called out to Ms. Mari.

"Ms. Mari," he said politely. "A moment, please."

Walking past Bruce and Selina, Mari held a lengthy glance of jealous longing for the obvious passion they had between them before she stepped over to give Kal a courteous bow.

"Your Majesty?" she said in acknowledgement.

"Please tell me, have you met my Kingdom Herald Mr. Victor Stone? He's so important that I simply cannot run the government without him."

"I have heard of him, Great King," Mari answered. "Miss Selina recently told me of his incredibly valiant efforts. I'm very pleased to make his acquaintance."

"The pleasure is mine, Ms. Mari," Stone said as he held his head low, hoping that she wouldn't look at his face.

"He is need of new garments, an entirely new wardrobe in fact, and I will personally finance whatever charge you may require," said The King.

"My Lord," Stone said incredulously. "I cannot allow you to … I do not need …"

"I would be delighted, O King!" Mari interrupted Stone. "May I address The Herald?"

"He's all yours," Kal said with a smile, before glancing over at Miss Selina, who returned his look with a knowing wink.

"It's very nice to meet you, Vic," Mari said confidently as she stepped over to sit in the vacant seat beside him, sweetly sweeping the lower part of her long yellow dress across his legs in their closeness. "You mind if I speak with you for a moment?"

He was taken aback by the name she had called him. No one had ever addressed him by his first name. It felt intimately enticing and endearing.

"Ms. Mari," Stone began quickly and shyly. "You don't have to go to any trouble for me. The King is simply concerned about my being disfigured and …"

"I'm a dressmaker, Vic," she told him with playful exasperation. "I adore fashion and design. Doing anything for you is not trouble at all. By the way, you're not disfigured, you're just very unique from anyone else. Now, I'm going to prepare you a full wardrobe order, and I'm going to include some of my personal preferences."

"Your personal preferences?"

"You were a handsome man before you sacrificed your body to save those townspeople, Victor, and you still are. That act you did was really heroic, and to me, it only made you even more attractive. I'm not going to design clothes you can hide behind. Your … change … has only made your body as physically powerful as your heroic heart."

"Heroic? Me?" Stone said incredulously. "Believe me, you don't know what's going on with me now. No one knows. I .. I'm kind of struggling with … with just being human."

"Actually," said Mari, leaning in closer to him with a barely audible whisper. "I have certain abilities which I keep concealed from everyone else. They're animalistic, and sometimes, they get a little out of control. Since you're struggling with your humanity, I think you and I have a lot more in common than you know. Maybe we can work on dealing with our situations together."

"I … I'd … like that," stammered Stone.

"Well, I'm going to schedule to work on your new garments as my last client very late this evening. I don't usually do this, but I'm going to have to strip you down to take your measurements precisely. It will probably take some time, so, you may as well bring me dinner and join me," Mari said sweetly.

"I'll … do that," he whispered shyly.

"It's a date then," Mari told him to his surprise.

With a tender pat on his thigh, Mari placed a chaste kiss on his cheek before turning to walk over and sit beside Miss Selina.

Stone's mouth hung open as he watched Mari sashay away. He was absolutely speechless. When he had first seen his appearance in a mirror after the destruction of his body, he had felt as if no one would ever be able to even look at him again. He had thought he would end up a lonely hermit. And now, here was this stunning spectacularly gorgeous woman seeming to come on to him. Well, just the fact that she had decided to speak to him instead of running away gave him hope.

"Stone, please read the first agenda," King Kal-El said, interrupting his new fixation on the lovely Mari.

With hesitation, Stone stood slowly and cleared his throat. He looked back over at Mari, and she gave him a little nod. Just this small gesture from her strengthened his confidence as he raised his voice to speak.

"Citizens of Krypton, please come to order!" he said after a long moment. The people closest to the raised area had already begun to quiet down at the second he stood, staring in awe at his appearance, and the crowds in the back quickly followed suit as well. "Our first judgement is concerning the four prisoners from the Darkseid Empire captured within our borders."

"Bring them forward," called The Knight.

At his words, Knightwing and The Outsiders escorted four fugitives firmly secured in bindings from the farthest side of the auditorium. They were grotesque warriors, and each of them had reputations widely known as deadly killers. Although restrained, they stood proud and defiant.

"They were captured in the act of stealthily searching through our kingdom attempting to steal samples of the technology we enjoy here," continued Stone. "Each of these beings are known murderers for Darkseid, all of them having butchered hundreds of individuals on and off battlefields. They must be judged. Great King?" he said as he sat down.

"Kingdom, I shall now listen to the advisement of my League of Justice. Knight, your thoughts first," said King Kal-El.

"Life imprisonment, King," The Knight said firmly. "They should be incarcerated permanently. Eventually, if their empire continues to expand upon our hemisphere, we'll have to deal with their soldiers and probably imprison far more of them as well."

"Noted. Thank you, Knight," said The King. "Lord Luthor."

"I say, cut them down!" Lord Luthor hollered with emphasis. "We need to send a message of war to the territories that follow Darkseid. We should kill them where they stand."

"We're not at war yet, Luthor," King Kal-El said calmly. "Our ultimate hope would be to come to some kind of truce with them, and eventually teach them the ways of peace instead of war. Baron Deathstroke, your opinion."

"We should interrogate them, then cut them up, and send the parts back to their empire piece by piece," said Baron Deathstroke, as he calmly used a huge razor sharp short sword blade to cut apples into thin slices to eat. "Striking terror into their army will begin a mental degradation which will give us an advantage in battle and lead to our eventual physical victory. What do you say, King?"

"Diplomacy over degradation, Baron Deathstroke. Leader Lobo?"

"I say we trade them into slavery on the black market," he answered immediately, lighting another one of his cigars as he spoke. "They should fetch a good price. If we interrogate them like Deathstroke said, we could sell their information, too."

King Kal-El lowered his head. He sighed in frustration. This wasn't the kind of kingdom he wanted to create. These people were still too trapped in the mindset of brutality which often accompanied the desperation of survival. Yet, he remained steadfast in his determination to bring all of them together in peace in the land. He rubbed his furrowed brow. Then, he raised his voice.

"Princess Diana, Princess of all Themyscira," he spoke loudly, making certain to emphasize her title and authority. "What do you think?"

The auditorium fell dead silent. All of the constant little murmurings which intermittently floated over the crowd abruptly ceased. The proverbial pin drop could be heard.

Staring at Kal from behind, Diana's brow furrowed. She was taken by surprise. It was completely unexpected of him to call upon her like this.

After a long tense moment, King Kal-El slowly turned his chair to the side to stare over at her. An expressive look passed between the two of them. In his gaze, Kal let Diana know that he was putting himself on the line. What he had just done was unexpected and unusual, and could cause the leaders of the territories to turn against him, setting back his agenda of unity for all.

After the look passed between them, Diana spoke firmly.

"If war is the intention, then war should be prepared for. If peace is the objective, then peace must be shown. The prisoners should be released, with a clear and pointed message. They should be shown mercy, so that mercy can be understood. And, they should be given a warning, so that war can be understood."

At her words, all was silent. No one spoke. No one moved.

Then, suddenly, King Kal-El abruptly stood to his feet, the sound of his chair sliding out from under him loud and jarring in the quiet hanging over the auditorium. Floating up over the table, he slowly soared over it toward the southern end of the platform. His eyes began to glow with a deep red hue as he hovered in the air.

Lord Luthor leaned back in his chair with a smug smile, pleased that he had influenced The King to follow his directions.

The citizens on both sides of the platform began to step backwards, crowding and bunching together as they watched the movement of their powerful King.

The minions of Darkseid, although known in their native lands as fearsome warriors, bowed and cowered in fear of King Kal-El.

With a massive thunder, red light burst forth from The King's eyes. The Darkseid warriors hollered, believing their miserable existences to finally have been brought to an end. In front of them, the beams from Kal's eyes cut a large horizontal fissure into the earth, and more heat shot upward as a small chasm opened. There was the searing light and burning fire of scolding hot magma beneath them, and they were standing only a few feet from the edge. The harsh intensity of the elements washed over them.

When King Kal-El spoke, his voice seemed to echo and reverberate around the auditorium.

"Warriors of Darkseid, hear my words! Tell your Master that no intrusions into The Kingdom of Krypton shall be tolerated! Any further such actions will be deemed as acts of war! If he wishes a truce between our peoples, it will be granted. However, should he choose war, he will be sent to the depths of Hell!"

After a long moment passed, still cowering in fear and terror, the fugitives realized they were still alive.

"Release them!" King Kal-El ordered.

Knightwing and The Outsiders removed the bindings from the prisoners. With trepidation in their eyes, all four of them quickly began to scurry away as fast as they could. They were afraid to even look back at The King as they ran.

"Outsiders, mount up!" Knightwing called loudly.

His words directed his well trained team expertly. Some of the Outsiders moved right up beside the fugitives, taking their places to escort the dangerous warriors until they were some distance away to make certain that they were unable to harm anyone or anything. Knightwing motioned for Robin, his most trusted trainee under The Knight, to remain by his side.

As Darkseid's warriors hurried their way out of the auditorium, King Kal-El calmly turned and began to walk back toward his chair. As he passed, Luthor stood up in outrage.

"King Kal-El!" he shouted angrily. "This is madness. I demand we slay them immediately."

King Kal-El stopped walking. Without saying a word, he slowly and menacingly looked over his shoulder toward Luthor … with his eyes glowing.

Luthor sat back down.

As The King continued back to his chair to sit, all was silent around him. Kal sat down, knowing what his people would need. They were frightened, and he wanted to uplift them. With a charismatic smile, Kal placed a hand on his chin as if uncertain while he spoke loudly.

"It seems that we have something of a mess here," he said to his people, motioning toward the gaping chasm. "Whatever shall we do? I think we need … a very fast man … to help us!"

The crowd burst into joyous cheers and claps. The people shouted and whistled, thrilled and enthralled by their King. They hung on his every word.

"I now call him Flash! Come forward!" he called.

In complete awe, Diana stared at the proceedings before her. She focused on the happiness of the crowds of people surrounding her. She literally couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her mother and her Amazon sisters had always taught her that all men were evil. Yet here, in this man Kal, stood a beacon … a lighthouse … of hope. Not only was he fair and just, but he truly cared for his people, and they loved him in return. The bond was strong, real and genuine. Maybe, just maybe, this one man could indeed bring peace to the entire world. And, for some reason, she had been brought into his sphere of life.

Making a show of himself, The Flash spun around the outer edge of the platform in super speed to create a wind flowing over the crowd for effect, then he stopped in a flamboyant bow before The King.

"Flash! At your service!" he called loudly.

"I think we should give him a challenge this time!" Kal said with a smile. "What do the people of Krypton say?"

The crowd instantly started to shout various responses, loving the show of Their King.

"Ten minutes!"

"No, he's too fast for that!"

"It's a big pit!"

"Five minutes!

"Three minutes!"

"Let's see," said Kal. "We'll give him … thirty seconds! Count him down, Krypton!

The crowd burst into near thunderous applause.

"Three! Two! One! Go!" the people hollered in disjointed unison.

A red blur spun around on the ground in front of the people. Deliberate gusts of wind blew over the masses near the front of the podium. Dust and dirt flew upward, making the people hoot and holler, being thrilled by the display before them. The congregation crowded together toward the southern end of the platform as the few seconds passed, joyously jockeying for position to get better vantage points to watch The Flash.

"Speak, Krypton!" called King Kal-El. "At five!"

"Four!" the people began.

The winds began to intensify. The clouds of dust started to dissipate. The crowds surged forward playfully. Amazingingly, the deep chasm had been completely repaired with a protective cover and mounds of gravel on top of it.

"Three!"

Suddenly, Leader Lobo's chair was snatched out from under him so fast that he hovered in the air before dropping to bounce off the platform on his backside, his cigar flying up in the air with his impact.

"Two!"

Flash was sitting in Lobo's chair holding his cigar with a comical imitation of Lobo's scowl. He immediately started coughing from the nasty smoke, frowning as he looked around at the crowd. He was finished early, playing with the people. Thunderous applause rose from all sides of the platform.

King Kal-El clapped, and the rest of the entire congregation followed suit, cheering and hollering. Flash stood and bowed emphatically, making faces at Leader Lobo as Lobo walked over to angrily snatch back his chair, making the crowd laugh even more. With a final cordial gesture to The King, Flash smiled and then as his last trick, he moved so fast that he literally disappeared.

"Stone, call the next order of business to judgement," King Kal-El said as he ceased clapping and lowered his hands.

The commotion of the crowd began to settle, and Stone gave them a few moments to gather back into their viewing places. They moved quickly, once again completely interested in the proceedings of their kingdom business. Then, Stone spoke loudly.

"Kingdom of Krypton!" he said. "Next judgement: the issue of the child."

At his words, the congregation quickly quieted. Most of the people already knew some of the details of the case before them, but all were concerned about what would be presented before The King and how he would judge. There were very few commotions among the crowd as they watched intently.

"Bring them forward!" called The Knight.

Immediately, Knightwing and Robin began to escort two men down to stand before the platform. Both of the men were dressed in work clothes, obviously toilers of the fields. The two of them refused to look over at each other, although both stood before the platform with postures of contricity. The held their heads down in deference to their king.

"These men stand under one of the worst charges … that of the injury of an infant."

At Stone's grave words, the entire congregation fell deathly silent.

"Both men were involved in a year long feud. This dispute eventually culminated in the burning down of one of their homes. The young child was inside at the time."

As he said this, a screeching cry of anguish outburst from a middle aged woman standing in the second row. Several fellow citizens immediately put their arms around her to comfort the woman and hold her up, as it seemed for a moment as if she may faint. She was undoubtedly the mother of the young infant.

"Continue, Stone," said The Knight.

"This matter and all evidence pertaining to it have been personally investigated and verified by The Knight himself along with his team of Outsiders. It is true. There must be judgement."

"Great King Kal-El, I know what must be done with them!" Lord Luthor said quickly. "I decree …"

"Hold, Lord Luthor," King Kal-El commanded calmly with a slight raise of his hand. "The heart of this matter is a matter of heart. It shall be decided by the women of our kingdom. Miss Selina, what do you think?"

There was a short pause of silence. The crowd turned toward their Headmistress, the sadness on her face clear and evident. When she spoke, her voice cracked with heartbrokenness.

"They should be put in prison," she said in a low voice. "Their crime is … despicable. The keys to their cells should be thrown away, so they'll never get out."

"Thank you, Headmistress," King Kal-El said solemnly. "I'm sure much of Krypton shares your sentiments. Now …," he said with a pause.

Sitting beside Selina, Diana began to lean forward and open her mouth. Expecting this, Kal shook his head slightly in denial of her. Diana's eyes widened in surprised exasperation.

"Lady Maxima?" King Kal-El said calmly.

"O Great King of Krypton, Champion of all Earth, Dictator of the universe, and Ruler of my heart, I salute you!" Maxima burst forth gaudily, boldly standing to her feet with a loud stomp of her high heels which reverberated in the previous silence of the auditorium.

Watching her display, King Kal-El had to remember not to put his hand on his forehead in embarrassment. Giving no respect to the solemn moment the congregation had been in the midst of, Maxima's blaring voice was so striking that she literally jarred most of the people out of their quiet reverie. Everyone was taken aback.

"Is she always this over the top?" Mari leaned over to whisper to Selina as she stared up at Maxima with a frown.

"Just with anything involving King Kal-El. Believe it or not, she's actually a fairly decent girl. She only acts like this over him," answered Selina.

"When … I mean, if, O Sovereign Sultan of my sanctity … I, Lady Maxima of Almerac, become your bride and queen of your kingdom, I would decree that these men be put to death! They have harmed life, therefore theirs should be taken! Our kingdom cannot tolerate sin such as this!" she shouted.

"Thank you, Lady Maxima," King Kal-El said quietly, unable to completely conceal the displeasure in his voice.

"However!" Lady Maxima said, just a little lower and with at least a touch of humility as she heard Kal's tone. "If My King Kal-El, O Perfect Procreator of our precious progeny, is somewhat displeased, the men could simply be maimed for life. I know that My Dear Lord is intent on creating a kingdom of peace, and, as Queen, it would therefore be encumbered upon me to maintain and uphold such peace. So, just cutting off a limb or two could be sufficient punishment, I suppose. As your Queen I would … do that … for you," she ended, contritely trying to figure out how to get her high heels out of her mouth.

"Lady Maxima of Almerac, thank you," King Kal-El said again.

Comically, there was a momentary pause as the crowd looked on in stunned silence. Maxima was a tough act to follow. Everyone took a breath.

As Maxima, finally, sat back down, Diana leaned forward again. Instantly catching her motion, Kal again shook his head. The heat of Diana's scowl started to burn a hole through him. Kal looked away and leaned back in his seat, knowing that he had accomplished his mission.

Diana couldn't believe the audacity of this king. First, he would call on her unexpectedly, then deny her when she had something to say which would solve this entire judgement. He could be absolutely infuriating.

Kal kept himself from grinning. He now knew Princess Diana. Oh yes, after the Eros elixir last night, he knew her very well. He knew things about her which she had never shared with either her closest friends or even her mother.

And, he knew how to get her all hot and bothered.

Being a Princess, she was accustomed to always having most anything she had ever desired, more so than she had ever realized. Denying her when she was proactive would surely set her ablaze.

"Miss Karen?" he called.

"They should undoubtedly be sentenced to permanent life in the military, My Lord," said Miss Karen. "It will teach them to value life. Then, they will respect it properly."

"Well evaluated, Miss Karen," he told her. "Miss Kara?"

"Continuous community service and hard labor for both of them! Let them work to help others until they are beyond exhaustion," she recommended with a youthful anger. "That will teach them a lesson."

"Very fitting," King Kal-El commended. "Noted for consideration. Now, Princess Diana of all the lands of Themyscira, please give us the benefit of your thoughts, opinions and beliefs."

Diana paused, simply staring at Kal.

Some of the onlookers standing near the northern end of the raised platform had caught the subtle exchanges between The Princess and The King. They laughed loudly on her behalf. To them, it seemed as if she were opposing him with respect and subtlety, as a true Queen may do her King.

King Kal-El didn't miss their laughter. He smiled inwardly with them, taking note of the fact that without even trying to do so, Princess Diana had indeed endeared herself to the people, and to himself as well. As Diana finally began to answer, he and the people hung on her every word.

"A judgement has been neglected here, Kal," Diana said boldly.

All heads snapped to attention. In her exasperation over his treatment of her, Diana had mistakenly forgotten to maintain the protocol and formality with which the meeting had previously been conducted. The crowd was stunned. No one had ever addressed The King as "Kal" before. All eyes noticed the chemistry and familiarity between the two of them.

More so than what she had called him, King Kal-El was far more concerned with what she had said. So, The Princess was attempting to upstage him. He grinned with overconfidence.

"Really, Diana?" he said, so completely focused on her that he too forgot to address her formally. "How so? Please enlighten us?"

"The one at the center of all this," she answered him. "I hereby relinquish my advisement to the mother of the child. She should be allowed to speak."

The auditorium was silent once again. The wisdom of The Princess had outshown everyone. And, she had upstaged The King.

Inwardly, King Kal-El admonished himself for not having thought of this sooner. He looked over at The Knight as he rubbed his chin in thought. The Knight didn't respond or show any emotion at all. However, Kal had learned to read his friend's expressions. Bruce was just as surprised as he was.

After a moment, Kal stood. With a calm steadfast demeanor, he slowly walked past the round table to the southern edge of the platform. With sympathy in his eyes, he looked to where the mother stood in the second row of the congregation.

"Ma'am," he said respectfully. "Do you wish to speak?"

"If … If I may, My King," she said with pleading eyes.

"Step forward," he told her.

As Knightwing and Robin quickly moved over to take each side of the mother to escort her toward the platform, Kal motioned them away. Walking down the steps himself, some members of the congregation gasped as they watched him. Taking hold of the mother's arm, Kal personally guided her up the steps and onto the platform. The crowd marvelled at a king which would lift up the common person like this.

"My King, I … I don't know what to say," the grieving mother said to him meekly.

"We all share in your pain," King Kal-El said kindly. "We're with you and support you. Address the people. Simply speak from your heart."

"My … My name is Ruth," she said. "Now, my husband Ori and his best friend Olin have known each other for nearly twenty years. When they started fighting over where the borders of our lands were, I knew it would only end in trouble, but … I never expected something like this. To everybody listening, I say, stop the violence. In the end, it's never worth it."

There were low claps and cheers at her words, the entire crowd in full agreement.

"I … I don't want my husband and his best friend to be punished. What I want … is for the two of them to be locked in a room together for a month," she said as she glared at her husband. "Then … Then, they'll remember their friendship. Then, maybe all our lives can get back to the way we were."

"It shall be done as you request," The King said loudly. "Knight, make it so."

"Place them in the upper prison, where they can have some measure of comfort, and in the same cell," The Knight said to Robin and Knightwing.

"Stone, conclude," said The King.

"Citizens! This ends today's judgement meetings," Stone announced with a loud voice. "May blessings be with you!"

With good natured conversing and commotion, the crowd began to disperse. The usual cadre of dignitaries, emissaries and visitors started to make their way over to King Kal-El, most of them wanting to discuss submitting their territories to him or trying to barter ways to procure some of the advanced Kryptonian technology. As King Kal-El walked back around the table, he hoped to have a word with The Princess. However, she and Miss Mari were joyfully comparing notes about Mari's creating a wardrobe line for Diana since she hadn't brought any clothing from Themyscira as the two of them walked off the platform. However, he did have a secondary plan.

"Miss Selina, a moment please," called King Kal-El.

"Yes, My King," said Selina, turning to face Kal with her lips curled into a slight smirk. "Knight, please keep the crowds distant so I may speak to Our King private in private."

The Knight held up his hand to halt the crowd gathering toward King Kal-El. He began to answer some of their questions about the kingdom to keep them occupied. Miss Selina stood very close to Kal as the two of them kept their voices low.

"Miss Selina, I was hoping you would do me …,"

"... a favor," she interrupted him.

"Yes, well, I desire a …,"

" … private meeting," Selina comically finished his sentence for him.

"With …"

"... The Princess," she smiled.

"Do you think you could …,"

"... arrange it," Selina grinned.

Kal smiled as he dropped his head in a quiet bashful laugh.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked.

"You didn't interrogate Maxima during her first night here," said Selina. "And I'm quite sure that your father King Zod would have wanted you to. There's … a glow in your eyes … which wasn't there before she came."

"Thank you … for your help, Miss Selina," King Kal-El said meaningfully.

"Oh, don't think this favor is free," Selina laughed, intentionally lightening the warm mood between them. "I desire something in return."

"The Knight?" he smiled.

"Is it that obvious?" Selina smiled, reminding him of his own words.

"Only every single time the two of you are together."

"Yes, well," Selina began coquettishly. "All I ask, is that you leave Knightwing in charge of security tonight so that Bruce and I won't be disturbed when he searches my quarters again this evening."

"It shall be done as you wish," King Kal-El said, barely able to hold back a bright smile at Selina's burning hot flames of passion. "Now, about that private meeting …"

"Why don't you go spend the late evening with your Mother Kent," she whispered in his ear as she placed a kiss on his cheek before she turned and began to saunter away. "And, don't forget to take a walk in the tall colored trees out behind the main garden. I hear there are some … wonderful … sights to see hidden inside them."


	8. chapter seven

Kingdom of Krypton

Dusk

Several hours had passed since the conclusion of the judgement meetings earlier in the day. The sunset gleaming on the horizon was beaming spectacular colors all over the skies above the countryside. There was a slight but brisk breeze in the air, cooling down the warm evening atmosphere.

Princess Diana had spent most of the day with Selina in Miss Mari's spacious clothing preparation area. As word had spread that The Princess Diana was assisting with clothing and attire, tons of townswomen formed lines to have some time in the shop. After her public appearance at the judgement meeting, everyone was anxious to see more of her personality, and the chance to have personal conversations with her had simply been overwhelming.

It was almost as Diana had become something of a celebrity to the townspeople. None of the other women in authority had ever been gracious enough to pay attention to them. Karen and Kara were kind, but they had been reared under the hardness of King Zod and Queen Faora. Also, during their few interactions with the people, Karen had seemed too militant and Kara too childish. Lady Maxima of Almerac looked down everyone except King Kal-El, and had more than made it clear she wanted nothing to do with any of them.

However, this Princess Diana of Themyscira was unlike any of the others before her. She was kind and personable, listening to them when they brought their various problems to her and offering reasonable solutions to explore. En masse, the people quickly came to adore her.

She seemed to be the final part of their journey to peace in the lands. When Prince Kal-El had become king, he had ushered in a new era of generosity and justice for the kingdom. With the addition of The Princess, it seemed as everything was complete.

Inside Mari's shop, Diana, Selina and Mari had bonded like sisters all afternoon. The three of them had talked and laughed together constantly while Mari had fitted clothes, Diana had entertained the people as guests, and Selina had kept the lines moving orderly. In the late evening, still laughing together, Mari had closed the shop and sent Diana and Selina away so she could prepare for her fitting date with Stone.

Beseeching Diana to join her for a horse ride, Selina had taken her on a tour of the outer regions of the kingdom. The farmlands and pastures were multi colored and beautiful, some seeming to stretch as far as the eye could see. Eventually, Selina led the two of them to a slow gallop on the edge of what seemed to be a lovely expansive arboretum.

"And, it's now time for me to take my leave, Sister Diana. I have a date tonight, and so do you. I hope you have as much fun as I plan to."

"Selina, what are talking about?"

Looking back for only a brief moment with a bright smile, Selina rode off toward the main town. Diana stared after her in confusion. No sooner had her horse cleared the far edge of the arboretum than the slow steady march of a powerful steed arose from the top of the hill just behind Diana.

"Good evening, Princess Diana," called King Kal-El, calmly riding toward her atop a pure white steed.

"Greetings, King Kal-El," said Diana, slowly turning to her horse to face him. "Miss Selina hinted to me of this arrangement. Per our agreement for Donna's life, I fully consented myself to you. You could have simply requested my presence if you desired to see me. I would have honored my word and come to you."

"I thought that, for the good of the kingdom, it may be best if I arranged a private meeting," he answered. "I intended to spare you the jealousy of women like Lady Maxima and some of the constant gossip of the people."

"Very kind of you, but I have proven that I can well handle Maxima, and the people of your kingdom have shown themselves to be exceedingly gracious," she told him.

"Indeed, Princess. Please, ride with me?" Kal said cordially as he led his steed alongside hers.

"You have something on your mind," said Diana as she allowed her mare to fall in step with his.

"You seem to know me well already," he mused.

"Oh, I now know you very well, King Kal-El of Krypton."

"After last night, I know you very well also, Young Princess," he told her. "I know things about you which you've never told you mother or any of your sisters."

"Well then, since you know so much, what is it you have to ask?"

"Actually, I was thinking to inquire of Themyscira," said Kal.

Diana stopped her horse from walking. Her usually kind eyes instantly became hard as stone. The stern gaze on her visage could melt steel.

"If you wish to attack my home, you will get no voluntary information from me," she told him angrily. "You can slay me, use the elixir or any other devices you choose, but I will hold my peace. If I perish, I perish."

King Kal-El stopped walking as well. He lowered his head. Moving slowly, Kal swung his leg over and dismounted his horse with his cape flowing majestically behind him. Stepping over to stand directly under her as he stared up with a stern gaze, he spoke purposefully. His words were as stone.

"Diana, I would never bring harm to the women of Themyscira. You have seen my past and my heart. Know the truth."

Diana stared at Kal for a short moment, then her heart quickly relented. In the elixir, she had indeed seen his strength of character to save lives even when others were taking them. She knew she had been wrong to make an incorrect assumption in haste.

"Forgive me, Kal," she said quietly. "After last night, I do know that you have the highest level of character of any man I have ever known. I am simply very protective of my homeland."

"I hope, in time, you shall come to think of Krypton as your home," Kal said meaningfully, carefully reaching a hand out to her.

"It is ,,, beautiful here," said Diana, placing her hand in his own. "Quite the adventure. Perhaps … in time."

Still holding her hand, Kal slowly soared back up onto his steed, comically almost as if he were floating like a lovelorn schoolboy at getting to hold Princess Diana's hand.

"Actually, I simply wanted to know your personal opinions on some of the customs," he told her, leading their horses to fall back into step together.

"Customs?"

"Such as, say, marriage, perhaps?" he said quietly.

Lowering her head, Diana tried to hide her slight smile. This was a surprising turn around, from thinking he was planning to invade her island to thoughts of possible matrimony. This man stirred her in ways she had never even imagined.

"There is no marriage on the island," she told him. "We're all sisters. One family. I confess I don't really know much about it."

"Oh," said Kal, seeming slightly discouraged. "In your travels, perhaps you have come across other cultures, which practice the ritual?"

"Yes, I have. However, I have never fully understood it. Tell me what you know of it?" asked Diana.

"Well, it's when a man and woman go before a judge and promise that they will love, honor and cherish each other until death."

"And do they do it? Love each other until death?"

"Not very often, no."

"Then why do they do it?"

"I … have no idea."

"So, you're asking me to consider something which you yourself don't fully understand?" she laughed.

"I was thinking that perhaps we could figure it out together," Kal said as he shared the laugh with her. "As you said, quite the adventure. Tell me, would you consider such a union if the good of a world was at stake?"

"You mean, like an arranged marriage?"

"Well, something like that."

"I believe that a joining on such a high level must be for love," Diana said firmly. "No other reason should suffice. The commitment must be genuine."

"Of course, you're right," agreed Kal. "Love must be the deciding factor. Can Themysciran women fall in love?"

"You ask a good question, Kal," she told him. "I will tell you of our history. A long time ago, the goddesses of the island saw the evil in the heart of man which led to deadly wars, and created our race of women to influence his heart with love. For a time, there was peace. Yet, after some time, the dark heart of man rose again, and war returned. My mother, Queen of The Amazons, led a revolt which freed us from enslavement. Scorned, we rebelled, and removed ourselves from man that he may fend for himself. We have never returned."

"So, then, you admit that the natural order of things is for men and women to be together?" deduced Kal with a grin, realizing that she had just given him the upper hand.

"Well, yes, but …"

"You stated that women were created for men?"

"That is true, yet …"

"So, by your own word, the union is meant to be?" he said as he turned his steed slightly into her own, drawing the two mares to a halt as they focused on one another.

"If love exists," Diana whispered meaningfully as she stared into his crystal blue eyes.

"There is an old saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and I hope the same holds true for a woman," Kal said with a comical grin.

"What do you mean?" asked Diana.

"I lured you here for a very specific reason, Princess," admitted Kal. "I'm sorry. Your presence has been requested at a particular dinner table."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, looking around her to notice a quaint little cabin up on a hill overlooking the beautiful field surrounding them.

"When I told my Ma Kent that I was going to see you this afternoon, she ordered me to bring you over for a dinner date," he confessed.

"Oh … Ohhh, no," Diana said warily.

Ohhh, yes," said Kal.

"She hates me. I disappointed her on the night I arrived. There is no way that she wants to see me again."

"Ma has never asked to have dinner with anyone else. I can't refuse her. You must come with me."

"Oh, no, King."

"Oh, yes, Princess."

"Oh, no, Kal."

"Oh, yes, Diana."

"Ohhh, no."

"Ohhh, yes."

Five minutes later, Ma Kent opened the door of her farmhouse to two visitors.

"Hi, Ma." said Kal.

"Greetings, Mrs. Kent," whispered Diana contritely, standing slightly behind Kal.

"I thought I told you to call me 'Ma' or 'Ma Kent,'" she said to Diana in frustration. "Ya hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Diana said too quickly. "I meant Ma Kent."

"That'll be 'Ma' for you," she told her sternly. "You understand?"

"But, I thought you said either one would suffice and …," began Diana.

"You call me 'Ma' from now on," she snapped.

"Yes, ma'am … I … I mean, Ma," answered Diana, holding her head slightly down in respect.

"Good. Glad we finally got that straightened out," whispered Ma Kent, stepping past Kal to take hold of Diana's arm and start to pull her into the house alongside her. "Now, come on in here. Dinner's almost ready."

"Ye … Yes, Ma," answered Diana, shocked at the sudden hospitality.

"Well, now, it's not a palace in here like you probably had on that island of yours," Ma Kent told her. "But it's quaint and cozy. I figure you're used to high society on that Thema … place. Honey, tell me that name again. I just can't get it."

"Them … a … scir ...a," Kal sounded out for her with a smile from behind them.

"Them … a …, yeah that place," said Ma Kent.

"There is no high society on the island, Ma," Diana said to her. "We don't consider any to be above or below any others. As Princess, I would willingly lay down my life for the least of my sisters."

"Is that right?"

"A truth we live by."

A moment passed between the two women. Ma Kent stared into Diana's eyes, searching her resolve until she found what she had been looking for. She made a final decision she had been pondering for some time.

"Kal, honey, would you go get me those holiday glasses and plates from the attic?" Ma Kent said, obviously wanting to be alone with The Princess. "Bring them slow and be careful not to break them."

"Be right back, Ma," said Kal as he turned to walk up the main staircase and give the two women some time alone.

"Thank you, Dear," Ma Kent called as she led Diana into the kitchen to sit in a side chair.

"You wish to speak to me in private?" Diana asked as she looked up at the older woman.

"You're direct. Another thing I like about you," whispered Ma Kent. "The first thing I liked about you was that was that you listen to good advice. I need for you to listen to me now, Diana, okay?"

"Yes, of course. Is there something wrong?"

"My husband Johnathan has been gone on to be with The Lord for some time now, and I'm going to be joining him soon, much sooner than anyone else knows," she said as her eyes immediately began to get slightly wet with unshed tears. "I'm having to trust you to keep this quiet. Ya understand me?"

"Yes, Ma," Diana said quietly. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Well, there comes a time, when you have to think about the things you're going to leave behind. And, my son, he's all I have. Now, I don't know you very well, but I see my son's face shine like never before when he talks about you, so I have to play the hand I'm dealt. I just need for you to understand some things. As the woman in his life, I need for you to remember that he's not just a king. He may seem all powerful, he may seem invulnerable, he may seem almighty, and he is all that, but at the same time he's just a man. He can't do everything he's trying to do in this world all by himself. He's surrounded by people, but he's really all alone."

"I .. I know how he feels," Diana whispered meaningfully.

"He needs someone by his side. A strong woman. A good woman. A loving woman. I just don't want him to be all alone when I'm gone. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"I do, Ma. I do," answered Diana. "I just … don't know if …"

"Oh, I know my son," Ma Kent cut her off. "He's made his choice, even if he hasn't realized it yet. I wasn't sure if I would give my blessing or not … until now."

"Blessing? Is it time to bless the food?" asked Kal as he walked in with the special plates, his return interrupting the intimate moment between the two women.

"Yes, Dear," said Ma Kent. "You take your father's place at the head of the table and us women will take our places by your sides."

"Okay, Ma," he complied.

"Diana, dear, do you know about God?"

"You speak of The One True God that is above all other gods. I know that, in a previous age, he sent His Son into the world to die, be buried and resurrect so that the penalty of sins for all souls would be paid. After death, those who believe on Him go to Heaven."

"Have you believed on Him?

"I do," she answered.

"Then," said Ma Kent with tears welling in her eyes. "You and my son may be together for all eternity," she whispered.

Diana looked over at Kal, and he returned her gaze with a gentle smile. In unison, the three of them bowed their heads and closed their eyes as one family.

"Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us our daily bread. Please forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen."

As they opened their eyes, the three of them smiled to one another.

"So, Diana, while we eat, I want to tell you about the adventures of my son when he was a little super boy," said Ma Kent.

"Oh yes, please share the stories," Diana said with a smile.

"Oh, no, Ma," he said.

"Oh, yes, Son," she said.

"Ohhh, no."

"Ohhh, yes."

The three of them laughed joyfully on into the early hours of the morning, blissfully unaware of the earth shaking events which were to befall the kingdom shortly …


	9. Chapter eight

Kingdom of Krypton

Private Living Quarters

Late Evening

With the sun down, the Kingdom of Krypton was truly quite beautiful as the various lights of the city surrounded the central bright illumination of The Fortress. Most of the citizens were resting, enjoying the relative safety within their borders. However, for some, the night was a time for … extracurricular activities.

Rushing into her quarters quickly, Selina cleaned herself thoroughly and then redressed. There were various hiding places in which she had at one time concealed contraband, and she checked her favorite spot underneath her grand window for a specific item she had been holding onto ever since she and Bruce had left Gotham. Then, she remembered that she had moved this particular precious package to a secondary compartment up on the roof.

Moving swiftly, Selina glided up the short staircase leading to the roof of her dwelling. With deft hands, she found her hiding place within the roofing, extracted the main prize she needed for tonight, and slipped it into her bodice. She quickly resealed the hidden panel and straightened her dress. Then, immediately sensing that she was no longer alone, Selina stopped moving completely and held still.

There were no footsteps. There was no sound. He was suddenly just simply there.

Selina didn't move as she felt a slight flush flow through her body. She loved it when he did that. In a word, 'magnificent.'

"You're early," Selina said as she started to turn around slowly. "Feeling frisky?"

"Something like that," Bruce's gravelly voice resounded from behind her. "I intend to ... frisk you … very thoroughly. Full … body … cavity … search."

"Oh, really?" Selina smiled, an eyebrow raised with sexy intrigue. "That sounds like a lot of fun, but do you even know what it is you're looking for?"

As she spoke, Selina smiled and began to saunter sideways away from him with a feline stride, momentarily disappearing behind a standing post. Bruce stepped forward, walking after her. The chase was on.

"I know your place here is clean," he told her in a growling whisper. "I checked through it myself. Your usual hiding places don't have any contraband in them."

"You searched through my things?" she asked, her tone equal parts annoyance at his intrusion and elation at his possessiveness. "Were you really looking for contraband or signs of another man in my life?"

His answer shocked her. There wasn't one. That meant there was a ring of truth in her line of questioning.

She turned around to face him, but he was gone. He had disappeared. She could still feel his presence, nearby, stalking her.

"Is there?" he growled quietly from within the darkness, using it to conceal how much of himself that he had opened to her.

"No," Selina told him firmly, knowing that her answer would comfort at least a piece of his troubled soul. "To the men, that is. But, as far as contraband, well, a girl's got to at least have a little bit of fun, right?"

"Wrong. I've already checked around with some of your former fences," Bruce revealed to her. "There hasn't been much activity from them in recent months. I'm assuming you have some new contacts."

"I may … have some contact information for you," Selina said coyly catching a glimpse of his dark form off to her left side. "Maybe I heard something about two traveling caravans from Gotham, shadowing Krypton and other territories. They may be stealing and selling contraband in connection with the regional black market."

"Names? Locations? Details?" growled Bruce.

"I may … have a name or two," purred Selina, coyly sauntering around behind another balustrade. "But, if I'm going to be an informant, my handler and I should have a very … intimate … repoire."

Selina stopped walking and turned around. He wasn't behind her. Somehow, he had again vanished into the darkness. Looking for him, she turned again …

… and found his chest right in front of her eyes. Selina's heart skipped a beat. He was good.

Before she even saw them, a pair of handcuffs had been snatched out of his belt and snapped onto her wrists. She recognized this particular pair of restraints instantly. They were a pair that she had personally prepared for their private play, and they had disappeared just after their last tryst together some time ago. They were covered with soft fluffy fabric and protective padding for tender handling. He'd had them waiting for her all this time.

Selina smirked.

"You know, it's more polite to buy a girl dinner first."

She got to him. He wouldn't show it, but she really got through to him. He secretly loved every single word that came out of her mouth.

One of the things which Selina would probably only come to know about Bruce in their later years of life together was just how much he truly enjoyed her humor. On this occasion, she completely missed the slight grin which her comment drew out of him. She had been too distracted as her cuffs were snatched above her head and hooked onto something which left her hovering on the tips of her spike high heels.

Looking up, Selina caught sight of a sharp bat shaped shuriken placed at the perfect position in the balustrade behind her to accommodate her height for restraint. She hadn't even seen it and didn't know when he had put it there. Damn, he was good. Being suspended like this made her feel virtually completely at his mercy. She loved it.

Staring down into Selina's eyes, Bruce's face was expressionless. Without breaking eye contact, he raised his hands to take hold of her shackled wrists above her head. He checked to make certain that the cuffs weren't too tight, that her circulation was good, and that the soft furry padding was on her skin instead of the surfaces of the bindings.

Still reaching up, Bruce slowly took hold of her hands. At first, Selina thought he was just warming up for his search, but then he did something unexpected. He laced their fingers together. His thumbs rubbed her tenderly. Intertwined, he paused for a long moment, just holding hands with her. The gesture was warm, intimate … and loving.

Selina returned his blank gaze for as long as she could, but eventually she broke. She bit her bottom lip, trying to distract her mind from how gently he was touching her. It was such an odd contrast, that this man which the world only knew as cold and harsh actually had something of a tender side in private settings.

Things like this always made it oh so hard not to fall in love with him. She had to get out of this. He kept his heart guarded so she had to do the same.

"You expecting a kiss, Stud?" she said sassily.

Bruce didn't reply. He simply let go of her hands and started to slowly feel his way down along her forearms. Now back into enjoying the flow of their lifelong dance, Selina felt playful. As his hands moved over her, she coquettishly turned her head to the side to feign indignation at his searching touch.

Running his hands over her shoulders, Bruce soon slid his fingers into her hair. His large fingers moved through her short tresses as if looking for something at first, but then he they just started gliding back and forth through them. Still staring into her eyes, Bruce took full advantage of this excuse to run his fingers through Selina's short hair.

This was starting to feel way too good to Selina. But there was something terribly wrong. She didn't want anything to come between them tonight, not even garments. This would feel so much better without them.

"Take your gloves off," Selina whispered.

At her quiet command, Bruce moved without hesitation, and both of them dropped beside her high heels a moment later.

When his hand returned to her hair, she didn't hold back her moan. This was nice and sweet, but it wasn't working for her. His romancing her like this only made her crave him even more.

"You stuck?" she teased him.

With a grunt, Bruce slid his hands down over her neck and to her breasts, making Selina draw in a deep breath. He cupped them through her dress, feeling their supple weight as he felt along their covering. He couldn't resist looking down at her sexy cleavage as he grabbed the front of her dress.

Bruce missed Selina's smirk as he started to open her gown. He had known this gorgeous woman his whole life, and he couldn't understand how her body seemed to become more erotic with each passing year. Selina's ample breasts spilled out of her bodice as if they had been desperately needing to breathe from the smothering confines of her gown. Bruce leaned down toward them, but then stopped, his brow furrowing in anger.

Tucked securely and expertly into the lower lining of her large bodice was a tailored contraband pouch. It was one of the more sizable bags he had seen in recent months, one which would have been impossible to conceal if Selina hadn't been so bountiful in her femininity. Bruce was immediately incensed.

"A little fun, huh," he mocked in a deep voice of anger.

"Just a little fun," she retorted confidently.

"Playtime's over," he grumbled.

"I don't think so," Selina said smugly. "I think it's just starting. Why don't you open it before you pass judgement on me?"

Lifting her right breast with his left hand somewhat harshly, Bruce used his other hand to flip open the lid. He stopped dead still in his tracks. His eyes narrowed.

"See something you like?" asked Selina.

Bruce didn't answer. He was too distracted by the sight in front of him. Selina shook her busty breasts from side to side, playfully adding a pun to her fun.

He glanced up at her eyes, but then looked back down. Not at her beautiful breasts, but at the contraband between them. There were blackberries inside the package. A very rare and specific breed, extremely hard to find, and outlawed because of an unpredictable healing side effect. Bruce's father, a doctor, had owned a field in which he had studied the berries. Since the Wayne's were a wealthy family, Thomas Wayne had been able to procure medical permissions to possess them. He hadn't known that his son Bruce had been unwittingly snacking on the berries in his young formative years, unknowingly developing a tolerance and near immunity to their unusual side effects.

These berries were one of the last reminders of his family, of a time when his life had known joy. Selina was the only woman that knew about them. This was really a touching surprise. The master thief had slipped inside and stolen even more of his heart.

"So, you going to arrest me?" Selina asked with a haughty grin.

As usual, his blank face was stern and expressionless. She couldn't read him. Selina's heart fell, thinking of all the time and effort she had spent in procuring this particular item for this surprise for him. Then, he let her see him start to grin.

"I guess, you didn't like my surprise?" she asked, her large breasts already heaving with anticipation.

Reaching up to swiftly snatch hold of the edges of her top, Bruce suddenly ripped it open, tearing it as if its keeping him from touching her was offensive to him. Selina gasped sexily, knowing that he loved hearing the feminine sounds he drew out of her. The edges of her bodice were left framing her bosom.

Oh, she had been wrong. He had indeed liked her surprise. From his reaction now, she could tell that he had liked it a lot.

Leaning forward, Bruce slid his face into her ample cleavage, making Selina's body temperature instantly shoot sky high. Using his teeth, he drew the berries from their compartment, shuffled them around in his mouth, then crunched down on them.

The thick juice burst all over her breasts, covering them in streaking spurts and leaking down to drip from her thick hardened nipples. Selina gasped at the sudden surprise, and it turned into a long heated continuous moan as Bruce started to sensuously lick and suck the berry juice off her heaving breasts. Moving quickly to catch as much of the ointment as he could, his lips kissed all over her exposed cleavage. Then, he lingered over each nipple, sucking so hard that it felt as if he were trying to draw her heart out through her tits.

"Bruce. Oh, Bruce," moaned Selina, starting to struggle uselessly against the restraints binding her wrists.

Lifting her legs, she hooked her calves behind his own. The heat in her core that his attention to her top caused had left her thong soaked and dripping with wetness. The ache between her legs desperately needed to be attended to, before it started to drive her insane. Finding the slim hardness of his crotch lightly pressed against her, she began to gyrate her hips wantonly, rubbing herself firmly against him in her search for relief.

"It seems I have … probable cause … to continue to search you, Headmistress," growled Bruce, leaning back to stare into her eyes.

Selina stared back at him defiantly. She always despised how in control he would seem, while he could reduce her to a kitten in heat in mere seconds. Selina leaned forward to stick out her tongue and lick Bruce over his lips, cleaning them of the remnants of the berry juice.

"If you think you're going to search a master thief, then you have to use the correct … utensil," she said.

As she spoke, she slipped her lips between his own to take hold of his tongue and suck hard on it. Spurned on by her desire, Bruce turned to nip his way down her neck as he skillfully untied the rest of her dress and left it parted all the way down the middle.

The master detective paused for just a moment. Hmmm, it was as if The Headmistress had chosen this very dress for this specific occasion. Bruce wondered just which one of them was really in control of the situation. Then, he dropped to his knees in front of Selina.

Opening her thighs and throwing them over his shoulders, he moved her panties and pushed his thick tongue up into her dripping slit as far as it would go. Selina struggled almost violently against the handcuffs holding her arms above her head, moaning and whining as she writhed uncontrollably. Reaching up to grip her firm tight ass, Bruce took a cheek in each hand and pulled Selina's waist hard on top of his face. With his hot tongue reaching inside her tunnel, he started to move it side to side and then up and down, mimicking the motions of trying to search her insides.

With him not stimulating her g-spot or clitoris, the movements weren't especially erotic. However, just the thought of Bruce searching her snatch for contraband nearly set off an intense first round of fireworks for her. Being a borderline nymphomaniac, only for this man, Selina knew that good sex and true lovemaking were much more mental than physical. Their play together had always been the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Like the purr of a cat, Selina hissed loudly. Gritting her teeth, she bit back her orgasm. Prolonging the release always intensified the outburst, and she intended to enjoy his undivided attention to the fullest. She knew that she needed to get out of this situation fast or he was going to break her too soon.

"Constable, don't you … need to … check … my oral skills?" she forced out breathlessly. "I meant, cavity."

"Hmmm, I suppose so," Bruce sighed as he pulled back to take a long slow wet lick up over her clit.

Selina's let her head fall back in ecstasy, savoring just that momentary hint of intense pleasure. When she looked back up with blurry eyes, she found Bruce towering over her ominously. Then, her eyes cleared, and her mouth dropped open.

He was staring at her still and calm, with the white of her juices literally dripping from his lips and chin. Selina's eyes widened and she hissed again. A climax almost slipped right out of her just then, and she only barely caught in time.

Ohhh, he really knew how to set her off. At some point in their relationship, he must have figured out how much she got off on seeing his stolid calm composed figure marked with traces of her. He had one up on her.

"Well, did you bring the correct … equipment … to search me?" she purred hungrily.

"Just hold still," Bruce said in a low voice.

No one else in the world besides Selina knew Bruce well enough to have caught the slight tone of uncertainty in his words. Her face frowned with confusion slightly as he slowly began to lean down on her. Raising his hands to the sides of her face, Bruce tenderly placed his lips over her own. After a long moment of just feeling the softness of her, he slid his tongue into her mouth and began to sensuously move around as if looking for something inside.

Realization dawned on Selina, and if the restraints hadn't been holding her up on the tips of her toes, her knees would have given out on her.

This was his idea of searching her.

This … was … barbaric.

After all this time, after all these months, after all these years … of desperately trying her best not to fall in love with this man, he kept doing sweet romantic things like this when they are alone. Here she was, trying to have a little raunchy fun with him, and he purposefully steals even more of her heart as if he didn't own all of it already. Oh no, she wasn't going to stand for this tonight. With a groan which resounded as more of a moan, she threw her head back to break the kiss.

"What is it?" Bruce asked quickly. "Are you all right? I'm not very good at this, Selina."

Looking back up into his eyes, Selina marvelled at how quickly his veneer of ominous darkness would lower for her under the right circumstances. She remembered the night when she had first seen it. They had actually gone out to watch an evening show play at the theater, and when they had made their way back to her lodgings for some romantic time alone, he had confessed to her how awkward he felt trying to live a normal life. It was a side of him that only she had ever seen.

For his part, Bruce could never quite figure out the captivating complexity which was his Selina. He couldn't quite seem to understand why she would pull away when he attempted to reach out to her. It had to be his total ineptitude and patheticness at normal human relations since the tragedy of the murder of his parents.

Bruce understood anger. All he had lived was revenge. He couldn't process love.

Selina was the only woman for him. Ever since she had been the only person he had ever seen change for the better in all his years of war in Gotham, the master thief had stolen whatever semblance of a heart he had left. He just didn't know how to live that out.

What he hadn't yet realized was that Selina was more than willing to help him with that very thing.

"Selina, I …"

"Pull my hair, Brucie," Selina whispered conspiratorially, even though they were alone just the two of them.

"What?"

"You like my hair. I know you like my hair. I want you to pull it. Now."

Still staring into her eyes, Bruce slid one hand around her neck to snag her hair hard.

"Yes, Constable," Selina said quickly, feigning a tone of submission. "I fully consent to your search. It's just that, as your informant, I can show you a better way to look."

"Good. All right then. Let's continue," said Bruce, his face once again completely blank and devoid of emotion.

"I thought you'd never ask," whispered Selina with a sultry glee.

In two seconds, Selina easily pulled her hands free of the bindings and down from the bat shaped shuriken. Bruce leaned back slightly, his calm demeanor expertly hiding his shock and surprise. He barely caught a glimpse of the thin pin she had used to skillfully loosen the furry bindings as she slipped it back into its hiding place in the cuff of her gown. She could have instantly freed herself at any moment during the whole time that he had her tied up. Damn, she was good. He couldn't believe how much she turned him on.

As soon as her spike high heels touched the roof below her, Selina let herself drop to her knees in front of Bruce. She had wanted to kiss her way down his body, but her knees were still buckling from that loving kiss he had planted on her, so she probably wouldn't have been able to stand anyway. Might as well just go with it.

"You were using a utensil earlier, Bruce. More intimate searches require … equipment," she said confidently as she ran her fingernails over the crotch of his pants. "Which I see you have."

In seconds, she had freed his manhood from its confines. Her precise memory from her days of larceny was still intact, and she remembered the exact wrapping of his standard garments from their last tryst some time ago. He was surprised by how quickly she had him undone.

"You have to search … deep … in the throat," she purred seductively.

Bruce had never been overly large or well endowed, and she knew she could handle him easily. Stroking him into hardness, she didn't waste any time. Taking a long breath, she inhaled his length, engulfing him between her luscious lips and sliding forward until his waist touched her nose.

Overwhelmed by her ministrations, Bruce groaned loudly and his knees buckled. To keep himself from falling, he had to slam his left hand on the balustrade in front of him while his right grabbed onto the top of Selina's head. He felt her lips smile around his length buried between them. She had the power, and she relished it. As Selina started to slide and roll Bruce around in her mouth with her wet tongue, he almost lost it. Snatching a hold of the back of her hair, he roughly yanked her hot mouth off of him. The cool air in contrast to her warmth helped him stave off his nearly imminent release.

"That … That's enough," he said quickly, breathing hard with a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"But, you might have missed a spot," Selina grinned up at him coyly.

One hand held the base of his length to help him stay hard while her other stroked him relentlessly. At some point which he hadn't been able to notice, the hot minx had put the furry bindings back on her own wrists. Damn, she was sexuality personified. He was putty in her hands.

"I'm convinced … that you're good," Bruce heaved. "That is ... clear."

"You sure that I'm good?" purred Selina, leaning forward to take him in her throat and then quickly pull him back out again.

"Yes!" growled Bruce, again pulling her away from him, only then realizing from her smile that she was actually just simply getting off on the feel of his pulling her hair.

This woman was dangerous. The power of life and death may be in the tongue, but her mouth was a weapon. Selina may have been down on her knees, but she definitely had the upper hand.

"This … equipment … needs to be used in the search," smirked Selina.

Bruce didn't need any more encouragement. Snatching hold of her upper arm, he pulled her to her feet and took her over to a table she had positioned near the side of the roof. Bending her over the side of the table, he stood close behind her. Reaching her bound hands up to grip the opposite edge, Selina was already fidgeting from side to side on her spike heels, unsuccessfully trying to come down from the high of how turned on she was by his handling her like this. Throwing her gown up over her waist, Bruce couldn't help taking a second to admire the perfect feminine roundness of her slim bare ass before he slammed his open palm down on it.

Hissing loudly, Selina jumped at the sudden contact, biting her lips to try to hold back her libido. She felt his hand rub softly over the cheek he had just spanked, soothing and warming the heightened sensation on her skin. Then, Bruce spanked Selina again.

"Do you have some information?" he asked, his raspy voice having dropped into a sexy husky whisper now.

Breathing hard, Selina didn't answer. She knew how to get what she wanted. It was a short wait.

The second slap was louder, harder and even more erotic. Bruce had Selina squirming now. Her core was dripping wetness onto her own thighs and the roof under her. A third spank and rub made her knees bend with a heated moan.

"Something to tell me?" he growled

"I've been naughty," Selina moaned. "A very bad kitty."

"Tell me more."

Another spank, and Bruce couldn't resist gripping all over her sexy ass before soothingly rubbing it. Selina knew that she had never made her cum from just this before, but when she was with him, anything was possible. Still, she wanted him inside her before she let go of her first one this time.

"You're not using the right … equipment … for a … deep … search," whined Selina, sweating with desire as she looked over her shoulder at him with lidded eyes.

Angling her slim hips toward him, she backed her ass up against his waist, positioning his erection snugly between her legs. She slid up and down his length, coating him in her juices until they were dripping off of him. Bruce didn't need any more invitation. Placing one hand on her hip, he guided himself into her in one stroke.

Both of them moaned loudly. Whenever they finally gave in to being together, the erotic sensual bond between them quickly became overwhelming. Perhaps this was the reason the two of them had always had such trouble navigating it over the years. Leaning down, Bruce draped his frame over her in exasperation, laying his head beside her own.

Turning her head to the side, Selina kissed Bruce hard. His manhood wasn't overly large or thick, but he was just perfect for her. Just having him inside her set off the fireworks she had been holding back.

She moaned loudly as her body clenched tightly before exploding from the inside, and she gave her breath to him. Raising a hand to hold her lips against his as she shook and trembled, Bruce drank in her release. Before she had even come down from her high, Selina started to surge back and forth, slamming her hips against Bruce. Leaning back lest her hard thrusts knock him off balance, Bruce took her hips in his hands and began pushing into her depths as far as he could go.

Ever the embodiment of Eros, Bruce and Selina moved in perfect sync. She thrust backward while he pushed forward. The sound of skin slapping against skin resounded sexily from the rooftop. Bruce almost got pulled over the edge too soon by the constant gripping and straining of Selina's tight walls as she rode out her extended first orgasm. Trying to hold himself, Bruce slowed and started to rotate his hips in a semi circle motion, altering his angle and penetration. He felt along her insides, letting his manhood search her femininity. With her still moving her hips around with him, Bruce was nearly overcome again, and he had to use one hand to slow the gyrating of her ass while his other slammed on the table beside her hair.

"Keep searching, Brucie," Selina moaned through gritted teeth. "Two down, one to go."

With that, she drew Bruce's thumb into her mouth, biting it once, sucking hard on it, and then nipping it again. By the time he pulled it out, it was well lubed with her saliva. Then, still thrusting up in her as he stood back up, he slid his thumb into her backside.

Selina immediately climaxed again, this time crying out as her walls squeezed and released in ecstasy. Bruce smiled at her pleasure and pushed his thumb in deeper, loving how vocal his cat could be when fully aroused. Sometimes, just the erotic sounds she made could almost push him over the edge with her.

Feeling her tight tunnel clamping down and squeezing him incessantly, Bruce collapsed, again draping his body over Selina. His finger slipped out of her as his lips began to suck all over the back of her neck. He could barely speak.

"So good, Cat," he groaned almost unintelligibly. "So good."

"Search me, Brucie," urged Selina. "Take me there. I know you like it. Take me."

Pulling out of her, Bruce used his right hand to reposition himself at her tiniest orifice. Sliding his other hand up into her hair, he kissed her passionately. Slowly guiding his length all the way inside her to the hilt, Bruce swallowed Selina's moan of exultation, drinking in her desire. Like this, she was just too much for him. Three thrusts, and he couldn't hold it anymore. He was done.

"Selina …," Bruce groaned loudly.

He came hard, losing control as his body began to tremble. Enjoying his release, Selina leaned forward to fasten her mouth over his, swallowing his moan this time, kissing all over him as she kept pushing her butt back against him to milk him of every drop of his essence. His burst set off her third, and her whole body vibrated as more of her wetness spilled down between her legs.

Now totally spent, Bruce slid downward off Selina. Feeling him lost in the throes of his release, Selina easily undid her restraints and slid off the table after him. Weightless in lovemaking afterglow, the two of them flopped onto the surface of the roof. Bruce crashed on his back, and Selina landed on him, her thighs laying across his midsection as he pulled her torso against his side. Immediately and instinctively cuddling together warmly, Bruce slipped his cape over to partially cover her side as she snuggled against him. Rooftops had always fit them well, as their intense erotic sex always made both of them feel closer to the clouds.

"Are you okay?" Bruce asked after he had regained enough of his breath to speak.

"I'm better than okay. You couldn't hear how 'okay' I was?" smiled Selina. "I thought you're supposed to be a Master Constable."

"Are you … okay … with the way things are between us?" Bruce asked in a meaningful whisper.

"I … I want more, but … I'm willing to work with us are we are," Selina answered quietly, gazing up at him now completely captivated by his words and where he was going with this.

"I've decided that … I want more, too," he told her, opening a small box on his belt. "I'm ready to accept how I feel about you … how I've always felt about you. I want to give you this."

Bruce pulled a small ring out of the box and held it up to Selina.

"Selina … I love you. I … I …"

Her mouth fell slightly open, her eyes welled with tears, her voice became a whisper.

"Please. Just ask me."

Gazing into her eyes, he did so.

"Will you marry me?"

With a tender smile, Selina returned his gaze, savoring the moment for which she had waited a lifetime.

"Bruce, I …"

Suddenly, the earth shook, screams filled the air, and the sky lit up with a green hue. The Kingdom was under attack and in mortal danger. Bruce and Selina would have to survive the night if they were to begin their new life together …


	10. chapter nine

Kingdom of Krypton

Night

It was the beginning of a night of intrigue.

An eerie green supernatural light ominously hung over the kingdom. High in the sky, there were signs of what had seemed to be a small volcanic eruption, as a plume of green smoke from somewhere inside the city had begun to rain debris down on the town. Strangely, there had been no sound at all from the explosion.

Across the city, the few citizens on the streets were running for their lives. Burning hot boulders and debris were falling haphazardly. Waking residents began to rush to loved ones, scurry for cover, and warn others of the mysterious danger.

Everything had been thrown into chaos.

On the Kent farm, joyous laughter resounded from the main house. The dinner table was festive, upbeat and jovial. The hours had been filled with family bonding.

Princess Diana just couldn't get enough of Ma Kent's wonderfully humorous stories about her young son Kal. They were engaging, involved … and endearing. On more than one occasion, Diana caught herself inadvertently touching Kal's hand or arm as they laughed together. Again, like on that first night, the sensations of simple true touch were bonding them on a level she had never experienced before.

Then, suddenly, in the midst of the three of them sharing another joyous round of laughter, King Kal-El stood suddenly, holding up his hand to halt their laughter.

"What is it?" asked Princess Diana.

"Civilians," said Kal. "Screaming. I have to go."

"I'll go with you, Kal," Diana said quickly.

"Be safe!" Ma Kent called after them.

As the two of them rushed toward the front door, Ma Kent stood up behind them. She watched them intently, noticing how they moved in unison as one. Time slowed for her, and slight tears welled in her eyes.

She could go be with her Johnathan in peace now. Her son had a woman strong enough to always be by his side in battle. He wouldn't be alone ever again.

Seconds later, King Kal-El slammed onto the ground in the center of the city, with Princess Diana landing by his side a moment later. Even in the midst of running for safety, many of the townspeople hollered in adoration at the very presence of their Saviour King. As long as he was alive, they knew they would ultimately be safe.

"King Kal-El!" called Barry, constantly moving instantly from place to place helping the frightened civilians. "I've been getting people out of harm's way, but these boulders just keep coming!"

"Flash! Go get Hal the cook at once!" King Kal-El called back to him. "Tell him that I said it's time to bring the ring!"

Flash was out of sight only a moment later.

"Kal-El," said Diana. "We need to find the source of all this."

"Diana, cover your eyes," Kal said as his own began to glow a deep red hue while he hovered up a few feet into the air.

Looking up at the sky, King Kal-El let loose a blinding burst of heat, covering the nearby part of the kingdom and incinerating a wave of the falling boulders. However, it was only a momentary respite. There was yet another wave, although smaller, still poised to fall upon the city.

Landing beside Diana a moment later, King Kal-El stumbled slightly. Diana quickly took hold of his arm to steady him.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," he answered. "My heat vision can be very draining for me. Nothing major."

"But, your skin is slightly pale," Diana told him, carefully reaching a hand up to feel his forehead. "You're sweating, and you have a near deadly fever."

"The effects seem to have been much more intense this time than I've ever felt before. This is unusual. Don't worry. Help is on the way," he said, once again hovering up into the air.

Then, help arrived with an announcement.

"Help is here! Hal Jordan, the best cook in all the lands, at your service, O King!"

Standing beside Barry was a brash, brown haired playboy, somehow seeming to exude overconfidence and buffoonery simultaneously.

"Hal!" called King Kal-El. "We need a protective net over the city! Now!"

At his words, Hal extended his right hand, and the large ring he wore began to emit a light green glow. Then, a massive net formed in the sky overhead, catching the next wave of falling debris. Hal smiled as he obeyed his orders.

"He's … just your cook?" Diana asked Kal in surprise.

"One of my contingency plans," Kal answered. "I have several. I've been gathering them for battles just such as these. Flash, bring Zatanna at once."

"Woo hoo, I call dibs on you," said Hal, blatantly staring at Diana as he quickly stepped over toward her with his hand extended. "Hi."

Then, Kal landed between Hal and Diana. Kal gave him a calm assertive stare. Hal lowered his hand.

Diana didn't respond. She didn't want to admit the fact that some part of her actually liked Kal's being a little possessive over her. He truly had a propensity for making her feel things she had never before imagined.

"King!" Bruce suddenly called out loudly as he came swinging down from a grappling line with Selina in his arms. "You must withdraw immediately. I recognize what may be happening here."

"What is this?" asked Diana.

"Knightwing and my other charges witnessed green staining on the night King Zod and Queen Faora were assassinated, before the substance seemed to fade away without a trace. The King and I were away that night, but I trained them to make expert observations," Bruce told her. "This time, the assassins have certainly come to target The King."

"I've been awaiting this night," King Kal-El said strongly. "If I can solve this mystery, perhaps I can ensure the safety of the people. This is an opportunity we have to turn for our good."

"No, Kal-El," Bruce said forcefully. "We can't take the risk. Our best countermove is to remove you from their path."

"If they're trying to kill you, we can't lose you," followed Selina.

"What is done in the dark shall be brought to the light," he said. "I have to be the bait. If they're coming after me, we'll be able to see them."

"Wait, Kal, they're right," Diana said, stepping closer to Kal to garner his full attention. "The kingdom needs you. The world needs you."

"The kingdom. The world. What about you, Princess?" Kal asked boldly, lowering his voice for only he and Diana.

Diana hesitated, but she knew what was needed to get him to listen, and she prepared to stop holding back her heart in order to get through to him.

"Kal, I …," she began as she placed a hand on the center of his chest.

"Great King, I'm here," Zatanna's voice called out to interrupt them as she left Barry and rushed over to Kal's side to take his muscular forearm in both her hands.

"Zatanna, use your magic," King Kal-El told her quickly. "Find the source of this debris. We have to locate where the enemy is coming from."

"At once, My Lord," The Mistress of Magic answered quickly. "May I draw upon your immense strength to heighten my abilities?"

"Yes, Zatanna," he answered. "Hurry."

With a slight glance of jealousy over at Diana, Zatanna reached up to place her hands on the sides of Kal's face. She closed her eyes, drew in what only another woman would recognize as a sigh of contented fulfillment, and began to slowly spin around against his massive body. Despite herself, Diana looked away for a moment. The wholistically feminine side of the warrior woman Diana knew for sure that all the physical contact certainly wasn't absolutely necessary for this spell to work. Diana was unable to deny that she had also become somewhat possessive over Kal as he had over her. Unfortunately, she couldn't come between Kal and Zatanna the way that Kal had come between she and Hal. After a few moments which seemed far too long to Diana, Zatanna ceased her spin facing toward the southern region of the kingdom.

"King Kal-El, there is something ailing you," she said gravely, instantly turning to gaze up at him with fear in her eyes. "Your very essence is being corrupted and corroded. From what I have learned from Luthor's alchemistic medicine, I believe he would say your cells are decaying."

"The green substance," said Bruce. "It's starting to cover everything. This is their attack strategy. Kal-El, you must withdraw."

"Where are they, Zatanna?" asked Kal.

"There, My Lord," said Zatanna, pointing toward the south as she performed one final spin against him.

Raising her hands to the sky, several speckles of blue dust arose from her fingertips and drifted on the wind to permeate the air. Some distance away, ironically not too far from The Fortress itself, a tower of rock began to fade into view. The physical structure appeared to be ethereal, as if it were only partially attached to this realm of existence. Although the tower appeared somewhat small and unassuming, the one dark doorway at the bottom of it seemed ominous and foreboding.

"What … What is that?" asked Selina, the dread in her voice obvious.

"It is a stronghold of darkest magic," explained Zatanna as she too turned to stare at it, the fear in her words also evident. "It has always been here with us, hidden in plain sight. It exists between realms, that's why the explosion made no sound to alert us. The fact that it has revealed itself now can only mean deadly intentions. The concealment of it denotes a power far greater than any I've ever encountered. All whom enter into its gate shall be overcome by great peril. This is quite literally completely out of my league."

At her words, Kal grinned. The time had come. It was time to unite.

"Justice League!" Kal called loudly.

At his call, the skies lit up. Soaring in from the east came Victor and Mari. Using her gift to draw upon the abilities of the animal world, Mari hovered on the winds as an eagle, carrying Victor in her arms with the strength of a bear. Flying in from the west were Kara and Karen, cutting through the air at breakneck speed to land with the group.

Now together back to back in a circle, stood Kal-El, Diana, Bruce, Selina, Victor, Mari, Barry, Hal, Kara, Karen and Zatanna.

This was the dawn of justice.

No sooner had the team come together than a new set of adversaries arose against them almost instantly. Materializing into the realm were an army of large spider like crab creatures, their hideous bodies coated with traces of the glowing green substance. Their razor sharp pincer like legs could be seen phasing in ominously from around the edges of buildings and dark alleyways.

King Kal-El turned, quietly staring at the stronghold of evil in the distance.

"League, always, pursue The Truth, procure justice, and protect liberty for all," he said solemnly.

With those final words, King Kal-El soared at supersonic speed toward the temple.

Behind him, Kara and Karen prepared to follow. Then, suddenly, both of them dropped to the ground, writhing in torturous agony. Their skin began to turn deathly pale as if the life was being drained out of them, and an intense burning sensation seemed to make slight tendrils of steam emanate from every part of their bodies.

"The green spore is affecting them," Bruce said quickly. "It must be deadly to all Kryptonians. We need to get them to safety."

"Lead The League, Bruce," Diana told him. "Keep the

people safe. I'll protect The King."

Then, Diana took off like a shot toward the small citadel, following after Kal-El.

No one could be prepared for the trials which awaited inside the tower ...


	11. chapter ten

Kingdom of Krypton

Darkest Night

Inside the citadel of darkness, the large entrance doors suddenly exploded. As the massive cloud of thick aged dust and debris began to swirl in an eerie wind, two glowing red eyes could be seen. King Kal-El of Krypton had arrived.

The first thing he noticed was that the smoke was not fully clearing. It seemed as if it was intended to linger to cloud visibility once it was initiated. His super vision couldn't penetrate anything around him, and he was already aware that he had a vulnerability to various forms of magic. Kal recognized the makings of a trap.

There was spatial distortion within the interior of the tower. While the exterior seemed to be only large enough to contain one central space, the inside was a coliseum like room with various tunnels lining the bottom leading off into different passageways. As he watched, another small army of the green coated spiders began to materialize at the edges of the tunnels.

"Where are you?" King Kal-El called loudly.

At his words, the spiders leaped toward him. Anticipating their assault, Kal shot upward above them, then he covered the entire floor space of the tower with a deadly burst of his heat vision. The spiders were incinerated as Kal poured on the intensity, holding it for several seconds. Some of the creatures even tried to recover and jump up at him with their claws raised, but he was able to move fast enough to avoid their strikes and burn them out of existence.

Seconds later, Kal dropped to the ground on one knee. The exertion of his heat vision had left him temporarily weakened. And, the strange green radiation of the spiders had been left to coat the floor and walls in splatters which were intensely toxic to him.

Kal's skin was slowly becoming deathly pale. The cells of his muscles were being debilitated to the point of impending decay. He didn't know how much danger he was in.

As yet unbeknownst to Kal, his adversary was a master strategist, and he had still fallen into a predesigned plan intended to weaken him.

Suddenly, in the clouded darkness of the tower, the sexy sound of a woman's high heels resounded and echoed ominously from all around him.

"Welcome, King of Worlds," a feminine voice called out.

"Show yourself," King Kal-El ordered.

"Your wish is my command," the woman's sleek voice acquiesced.

With those words, a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows of the tunnel directly in front of him. She walked with a bold, confident, sexy stride, stopping just at the edge of the darkness. Wearing a hooded cloak which covered her completely, nothing of her figure could be discerned except the obvious very feminine voluptuous curves.

"Who are you?" Kal said, struggling to his feet to walk purposefully toward her. "Did you kill my parents? Are you behind these attacks?"

"Follow me, Great King Kal-El, and we can become … intimately … acquainted," the woman whispered as she turned back toward the darkness behind her.

"Tell me what you know," said Kal, almost within arm's reach of her.

Just as he was about to take hold of her arm, she stepped out of his reach. One second later, she was several yards up ahead of him, her concealed form barely visible in the dense blackness.

Weakened and struggling to stay on his feet, Kal took off after her at a hard run with his cape flowing behind him, following her into the dark.

Moments later, Diana's heels slid to a halt inside the entranceway of the dark tower.

"Kal!" she called loudly. " Where are you?"

Looking around, she caught sight of him far inside the main tunnel. She didn't take time to study her surroundings, as her primary concern was to catch up to Kal. Not taking another moment, she was in flight after him in a second. Yet, as soon as she reached the edge of the tunnel, Kal was suddenly instantly several yards away from her.

Diana paused. There was something familiar about this. This was very similar to a spell which she had seen before, and the memory of it was just at the edge of her recollection, yet it escaped her. However, she didn't have time to ponder it now. She had to protect Kal.

Then, Diana stopped.

She wasn't alone.

There was someone moving up behind her.

In the blink of an eye, Diana started to turn around. It was too late. Before she had even moved an inch, she was overtaken.

Diana gasped loudly in shocked surprise. A strong force, akin to the feeling of a woman's fingernails pushing into her body from behind all over … and then through her … rushed over her like a miniature tidal wave. In just a few seconds, Diana felt completely devoid of energy, so much so that she couldn't even remain standing.

She dropped to her hands and knees. She felt lightheaded, unable to think and close to losing consciousness. Diana was totally stunned by what had just happened to her.

However, the most shocking surprise was yet to come.

As the sound of her own heels resounded from the ground in front of her, Diana looked up … and saw … herself.

At first, Diana wondered if this were some kind of doppelganger, shapeshifter or false imagery. But, as the woman turned around, it was undeniable that the body in front of her was perfectly like hers in every way. Then, she looked down at her hands. They were now ethereal, translucent and virtually invisible. She could now see through her hands and arms to the ground underneath them. Diana looked back up, her eyes wide with shock.

Now, she understood the perfect match. She knew what had just happened. Her body … had just been stolen from her.

"Who are you?" demanded Diana. "What have you done?"

"I'm just going to borrow your body for a little while," The new woman said in Diana's own voice as she smiled down at her with a pleased overconfident gaze.

"I know what you are," said Diana, staring at herself intently. "It was rumored that the race of the fairy succubi were extinct. What do you want?"

"I'm the most powerful woman in the world, so I should be with the most powerful man in the universe," said the new Diana. "He's the only man I would have as my king. You haven't chosen to stake your claim as his queen, so I will."

Then, the other Diana turned, took a few steps, and suddenly flung her own body against the wall beside her. She raised herself up off the floor to leave her heels dangling in the air. With a wave of her hand, she made one of the green coated spider creatures appear in front of her, seeming to have her pinned to the wall.

Then, looking down at Diana with a dark glee, the new Diana opened her lips and called out …


	12. chapter eleven

Kingdom of Krypton

Darkest night

"King Kal-El, help me!" he heard Diana's voice call from behind him.

Turning around instantly, Kal caught sight of Diana pinned up against the wall of the tunnel with one of the massive green coated spider like creatures crawling over her. Even with his skin pale and every muscle in his body severely weakened from the intense poisoning of the mysterious green radiation, Kal's only thought was for Diana's safety.

Too weak to take to the air in flight or use his long range heat vision, Kal jumped with all his might. He soared through the air at breakneck speed and slammed his fist into the side of the spider was knocked sideways off of Diana, but the impact ruptured its abdomen and left traces of the deadly green substance flying over Kal.

"Diana, are you all right?" Kal asked quickly, slipping a hand onto the small of her back to draw her body into him protectively.

"Yes, Great King Kal-El," Diana said breathlessly. "All is well. Now that you're here."

Watching their surroundings as he held Diana with one arm around her waist, Kal paused. Something about the way she spoke didn't quite sound like the woman he knew. He turned to look down at her.

It hit him. There was a lack of familiarity. Since the intimacy of their first night together, Diana usually addressed him as 'Kal-El,' and she was certainly the only woman to ever call him 'Kal.' There was something slightly off here. He hesitated.

Only a few yards away, yet completely unseen, the ethereal spirit of the real Diana struggled to raise a hand up in a vain effort to attract Kal's attention. She saw the hesitation in Kal, and she could tell that he did indeed know her well enough to be able to distinguish her from the fairy succubus. If only she could get to him, but she was so weak that she could barely move.

"Kal-El, no!" she croaked weakly, her voice barely a whisper even hollering at the top of her lungs. "Get away from her! She's not me!"

As Diana's hand dropped helplessly back down to the ground with her head lowered in exhaustion, she wondered as to the accuracy of the statement she had just yelled out to him, as the fairy succubus was using her actual body to engage Kal. Indeed, she was Diana in each and every physical aspect. She had berated Diana for hesitating to claim Kal as her own, and Diana couldn't help but wonder if perhaps her failure to do so had led to this exploited vulnerability.

Gathering every ounce of strength which she had left in her indomitable spirit, Diana began to crawl her way toward Kal and the other Diana.

Raising her hands to Kal's face, Diana distracted him from his thinking.

"It's me, Kal. It's me," she reassured him.

Then, moving quickly, Diana leaned upward and kissed Kal. Before he could close his eyes, she induced a short but very powerful disorientation spell, one which she knew could affect him in his extremely weakened state.

The spell made Kal stumble backward slightly, but Diana kept kissing him and slowly drew him around to lay his back onto the wall behind him.

"Kal-El, no!" screamed Diana.

Still several yards away, she kept crawling her way toward them, knowing that she wouldn't be able to make it to them in time.

With his back literally against the wall behind him, Kal put his arms around Diana and returned her kiss. The spell had left his mind clouded, lost and disoriented. Suddenly, he couldn't seem to remember where he was or what he was doing. All his mind could process was that the woman of his heart had her gorgeous body pressed up against him wantonly, and he was certainly going to deny her nothing.

"I do need you, King Kal-El," said Diana. "I should have told you so when you asked me before, but I was too fearful to answer truthfully. I won't deny you any more. I need you now."

Kal paused again, staring down at Diana in a pleased, speechless silence. He couldn't believe that she was saying words he had longed to hear slip from her lips ever since he had first laid eyes on her. Then, Diana leaned up and kissed Kal again, and all thought left his mind.

Powerless just several feet away from them, Diana paused at the same moment as Kal. Her eyes widened as part of her heart dropped into her stomach. Perhaps this legendary race had some psychic abilities as well as their propensity for magic. It seemed as if the other Diana had spoken exactly how Diana felt, but hadn't yet admitted to herself.

Maybe she was indeed afraid. Not of Kal's being evil, but actually of his being good. Despite the fact that her Amazon sisters had come to believe that the race of men was inherently corrupt, this man had shown himself to be everything that she had always secretly imagined a real man could be. When they had been in the elixir together, she had witnessed his good character in the highlighted moments of his life. Kal was simply too good to be true, and her unbelief made her keep distance between them.

The other Diana had hinted that this distance had been a vulnerability which she exploited to draw them into their current predicament. Perhaps Diana's hesitancy to return Kal's obvious affections had been a mistake. She hoped she wouldn't come to deeply regret it.

Then, Diana stared up at Kal, and her heart pounded with a jolt of jealousy which made her grit her teeth as she struggled to keep crawling forward.

Holding Kal up against the wall behind him, Diana quickly began to kiss her way down his sculpted body. She could feel the rippling manifold masculine muscles beneath his tunic, and the sensations stirred desires within her like never before. In his dazed state, Kal was entirely enthralled by her every movement, completely captivated by only Diana. In his physically weakened state, he was even more mentally vulnerable as well.

Now that his defenses were down, it was time to get something else down … namely his pants.

Dropping to her knees in front of Kal, Diana leaned forward and kissed the large bulge in his center. Her slender fingers expertly made short work of his belt and trousers, pulling them down to frame his upper thighs. As his manhood fell free from his confines, she leaned back in surprise with wide eyes.

King Kal-El was a … magnificent … man. His size was … above and beyond … impressive. Certainly at least fourteen Amazonian inches, and probably even more. He was quite the challenging specimen of the male species.

With her body feeling young, energetic and vibrant, Diana wasted no time in attacking Kal's immense manhood. She kissed his large round head reverently, gazing up at him with bold sexy eyes. Diana began to stroke Kal with both hands, leaning down to lick his shaft to let her saliva get him slick.

After using her warm tongue to swirl around his thick tip with wetness, Diana opened her mouth and wrapped her succulent lips around Kal's manhood. His large hands instinctively laid upon her shoulders, rubbing and kneading the soft feminine flesh along her collar. Then, without hesitation, Diana started to slide forward, feeling his shaft fill the back of her mouth. She relaxed her muscles, then began to push onward, letting his thickness slip deep into her throat and fill it.

"My Diana," Kal gasped, his head falling backward onto the tunnel wall behind him.

Only a few feet away, the ethereal Diana could feel every sensation just the same as the corporeal Diana. She had never done anything like this before, and it was akin to being thrust into an expert course on intimacy instead of that of a beginner's lesson. It was similar to being trained to ride a horse for the first time with the stallion at one hundred miles per hour full gallop. Even though she had read all twelve of Cleo's treatises on bodily pleasure, experiencing the reality was another matter entirely.

Still, Diana's essence quickly began to respond to Kal. She was inundated with his manly scent, texture and taste. Intense desire, cascading flushes and fire hot desire passion flooded through her.

Without conscious realization, Diana found herself positioned up on her knees, in the same position as her physical body, mimicking the same sensuous motions. She felt dizzy, weak and lightheaded, but her subconscious was completely in tune with the wanton ache for Kal between her legs. She felt more turned on than she had ever been before in her life.

Looking up, Diana could see an ethereal Kal as if he were standing in front of her. She felt her hair began to move, twist and smooth over as if she were being touched. Their eyes locked.

A few feet away, Kal was running his hands through the long silken strands of Diana's hair lovingly. His eyes stared down at her in pure adoration, enjoying each touch she bestowed upon him. He couldn't look away from her.

"Diana," he moaned breathily. "Oh, Diana."

Against the wall, Diana worked Kal expertly. Her lips stayed fastened onto him as she alternated between sucking, biting and licking all over him. Lewd sloppy wet sounds echoed through the tunnel around them. Her head bobbed back and forth in his center, her whole body drawn into what she was doing to him. She knew exactly how to draw out the most extensive pleasures for a man, and she put forth her best ever efforts on the king.

"Diana, Diana, Diana," her name slipped from his lips in a mantra of worship.

Perfectly in sync with him although she was still a few feet away, Diana's mind thought only of Kal. It was as if she were immersed in his essence. The spell they were both under had intensified the mental bond between them.

Now completely given over, she knew that she wanted him like this. He was her true desire. Diana wanted all of Kal.

There was no thought in her mind other than him, but as he constantly and incessantly caressed her, his strong touch almost seemed to be drawing her conscious memory back to her. His firm, sexy and manly hands just wouldn't stop moving through her hair. Everywhere he could touch, he ran his fingers through her silky smooth tresses.

In sync as they were, Diana could partially feel some of Kal's desire through their bond intensified with the spell. His fixation on her long hair bordered on being a full blown fetish. Actually, going deeper into his mind, he seemed to have an intensity for all things of her. Kal had a Diana fetish, as she instantly became fond of thinking of it.

With her getting more heated with every pleasure she gave to Kal, the sensuality growing within Diana was quickly becoming overwhelming.

Kal grew even bigger, harder and longer in Diana's mouth, and she knew that she had him close.

"Diana, I …," Kal groaned.

"Give me your essence," Diana said as she took Kal out of her mouth and gazed up at him. "I want all of you. Give yourself to me."

At her urging, Kal couldn't hold himself from Diana a moment longer. She took him deep into her mouth and pushed forward, wondrously until her luscious lips landed against his hips. Then, she let her gag reflex squeeze him, wholly giving herself over to his pleasure.

He gave himself, and she took all of him, fastening her hands onto his hips to hold him against her. Diana smiled up at Kal as he gazed down at her with a visage of so much pleasure that it was nearly painful. Then, in the midst of his release, Diana's brow furrowed. Even she couldn't believe what was happening within her.

The ache in Diana's center between her legs became unbearable in unison with her tasting Kal, and something inside her body snapped. She orgasmed suddenly, her core tensing and releasing so hard that she opened her mouth to cry out loudly in pained bliss. Wetness poured from her like a shattered waterfall, the intensity of her climax making her knees too weak to support her anymore. Diana fell backward as Kal slumped down on the wall behind him, both of them landing on the ground simultaneously, exhausted from the explosive passion between them.

At the same moment, still a few feet away, Diana herself dropped to the ground like a marionette with her strings cut. She felt good, so good, blissfully good, and it gave a spark of much needed energy to her weakened spirit. With her eyes rolled up into the back of her head, Diana writhed on the ground in ecstacy, her form still shaking, trembling and spasming. The arcane spell and the exertion with Kal had left her dazed, even more incoherent and desperately struggling to remain conscious.

Diana felt immersed in Kal, and her foggy mind revelled in him. Some distance part of her tried to come back to her senses. She had to get to Kal, and then get the other Diana away from him. On some deep level of connection with the other Diana through the spell they were all under, she knew that it was too late. She knew that the other Diana had gotten what she'd intended to get from Kal and had completed her mission.

Straining for every ounce of energy she could muster, Diana again struggled toward them. Then, she saw the physical Diana looking at her surroundings, seeming to once again start to gain some semblance of coherence.

'Oh no,' Diana thought to herself. 'She's going to see me.'

Then, Diana felt a most unusual sensation, and her brow furrowed in shocked surprise.

She felt a kiss in her navel.

Immediately, at his touch, Diana became weightless and boneless once again. Out of control, she felt herself drift down to the ground and roll onto her back. Raising her head up, Diana gazed down to see the ethereal Kal leaning down over her midsection, his muscular frame sexy and erotic as he hovered just inches above her waist. She hadn't felt any movement of her garments, but her dress had been slipped up over her hips and her soaked panties were dangling from his thumb.

He was quickly kissing his way lower.

Looking up at the tunnel, Diana could see the physical Kal doing the same thing to the other Diana that he was doing to her. The physical Diana was completely overtaken with desire, her eyes lidded and focused only on Kal. She was completely distracted.

Diana had her chance. It seemed that, even though they were apart, she and Kal were still working together in perfect unison. Through the extremities of the spell, Diana caught glimpses of the realization that she and Kal were bonded on far more levels in the multiverse than she could have ever known.

Diana fought hard to stir her warrior's instincts, even though every single part of her was feeling amorous. Forcing herself to turn over, the ethereal Kal no longer seemed to be visible at all as she moved away from him. Diana found the wherewithal to start crawling toward the physical Kal once again. She grimaced as she forced herself forward, but then, her world stopped.

Almost comically, Diana's eyes lit up, her mouth dropped open wide, and she doubled over in the midst of being wracked by a new sensation far more pleasurable than any she had ever felt before.

A scream slipped from her lips before she realized she had even opened her mouth.

"Kal-El!" Diana hollered. "Oh, Kal-El!"

With his face between Diana's legs, Kal smiled against her skin. He adored his princess, and pleasuring her was his only mission in life at the moment. Taking her slim hips in his large hands to tilt her waist upward, Kal again licked Diana from her perineum to her clit.

"Gods!" screamed Diana.

Kal wanted to hear Diana call his name again. Sliding his strong hands from her hips to her thighs, Kal opened Diana's legs while easily holding her waist up with his strength. Diving in between her legs, Kal kissed the bundle of sensitive nerves at her tip, then nipped it for sensation before licking to soothe it.

"Gods, oh Kal-El!" Diana hollered breathlessly.

With the music of her exaltation ringing in his ears, Kal didn't need any more encouragement. Leaning in even more, Kal slipped his tongue up inside Diana. Her hands slammed onto the floor so hard that the ground shook for miles. Then, he started to lick the sides of her lips inside her from top to bottom, instantly memorizing every single fold of her open flower. As he tasted every inch of her, Diana's torso shot upright, her mouth hanging open with her eyes wide. She reached down to tangle her hands all in Kal's hair, desperately holding him in her lap as she panted after his every touch. Diana's ample bosom rose and fell in heated rapid succession, unable to catch the breath Kal had stolen from her.

In mere seconds, a hot spike exploded through her insides. Her body released as her knees shook uncontrollably, still hooked over Kal's broad shoulders. Diana threw her head back and screamed, her long hair whipping out behind her.

"Gods, this hadn't happened in years!"

Kal smiled against his princess, and continued licking her center. Drinking in every drop of wetness pouring out of her, he moved down from her bundle of nerves to again slip his thick tongue into her body as far as it would go. This quickly drew a second orgasm out of her, not as powerful and explosive as the first, but still completely overwhelming. Almost eaten out of her mind, Diana's eyes rolled up into the back of her head, then her torso slowly flopped onto the floor under her.

In her spirit, Diana flopped onto the ground at the same moment. She was on her knees with her torso on the ground. Her core was pulsing and aching deliciously, and she was seeing stars behind her eyes. Gods, Kal was a good lover.

Raising back up on her elbows, Diana started to struggle to crawl forward again, until she felt the sensation of Kal sucking her bundle of sensitivity all the way into the back of his mouth.

Her third explosive climax was the strongest, and Diana screamed so loud that her voice echoed through every tunnel around them. Her back arched high up off the ground, her entire body trembled, and her arms flailed haphazardly. After several prolonged moments of pure ecstacy, Diana's body had no strength left, and she laid down on the floor barely coherent. Her head lolled from side to side, her eyes dilated, her body weightless. Every other second, she convulsed in pleasurable spasms. Kal had put Diana down for the count.

Still trembling from that last massive climax, the ethereal Diana slowly forced herself to flip over. Kal was going to be the death of her like this. Yet, he had given her the opening she needed, and she knew she had one last chance.

The physical Diana was out of it. Her skin was flushed, she was sweating profusely, and her body was twitching in residual pleasure as her head languishly rolled from side to side with her eyes glassed over.

Diana moved closer, feeling every bit as sated and satisfied as her body, yet still desperately craving more of Kal. Her limbs felt weak and drained, but she kept pressing forward. She knew she only had seconds left.

The ethereal Diana was almost within arm's reach.

Suddenly sensing her proximity, the physical Diana was alerted. The spell was in danger of being counteracted. Her head snapped up, and she turned around quickly.

The ethereal Diana lunged, as the physical Diana simultaneously recoiled. With her body still reeling from Kal's magnificent ministrations, she moved just a second too slow. They collided …

… and Diana gasped. She was back. Her body was completely her own once again.

Oh, the pleasure Kal had given her body was overwhelming. The rejoining of her body and spirit after Kal's loving felt so good that it gave her pause. Her back arched high as she felt her arms and legs still trembling from what he had done to her. Gods, Kal was a delicious beast.

With a harsh groan, Diana forced her body to roll over from under Kal. She quickly looked up at the dark tunnel behind them. But she was too late.

The edge of the woman disappeared into the cover of darkness in the very next moment.

Diana had just missed discovering her true identity by a mere second. With a short warrior's cry, Diana struggled to her feet and stumbled after the mysterious fairy, quickly regaining her strength with each step. The sexy sound of the woman's spike high heels resounded through the passageway in a distant echo.

Reaching the edge of the tunnel, Diana leaned against it, realizing that she had no hope of capturing the fairy succubus. Besides, Kal was her main priority. She had to make sure he was all right.

Then, as she thought of the man of her heart, she stopped. Somehow, through the rapport which still existed between them, she knew something was wrong. Very wrong.

Behind her, having already straightened his clothes, Kal-El stood … slowly … frighteningly … ominously.

"Kal?" Diana called warily as she turned around. "Kal-El?"

Kal didn't answer her. His eyes were gone, completely covered over by constantly moving white clouds of confusion spell. The posture of his body was poised, muscles tensed and bulging, immense power seeming to emanate from his very being.

He stared at Diana, unknowing.

She stared at Kal, uncertain.

It slowly seemed to become a tense standoff.

Then, controlled by an unseen magical hand, Diana's lasso unclasped itself and suddenly whipped at Kal in a flash.

In the blink of an eye, he turned his torso to the side, and the lasso struck the tunnel wall behind him, leaving a long vertical cut on its surface.

Kal turned back to face Diana.

His eyes began to glow red.

"Kal-El, no!" said Diana.


	13. chapter twelve

Kingdom of Krypton

Darkest Night

"Kal-El, no!" said Diana.

Her words came too late. Powerful fire erupted from Kal's eyes, targeted directly onto Diana's bracelets. After raising her hands, Diana realized that she barely had to move her arms to deflect the rays. Kal had seemed to direct the beams near her instead of at her. Even though he was under the influence of some arcane spell, Kal was still doing his best not to harm Diana in any way.

"You're confused! You don't know who you are!" she said.

Snatching her golden lasso out of the air, Diana swung it forward. This time, Kal caught the edge of the lasso in his hand, allowing it to wrap around his muscular forearm. The lasso immediately began to glow with its trademark golden hue.

Taking hold of the lasso in both hands, Diana pulled, trying to draw Kal off balance. Using one arm, he was able to resist her immense strength to hold her steady. Then, pulling his arm forward, Kal slowly started to draw Diana toward him. It was a super sexy standoff.

"Kal-El. The Last Son of Krypton," Diana said in a soothing voice. "Remember who you are. Tell me who you …"

Before she could finish, her words were cut off as Kal used his other hand to grab the lasso and snatch Diana to him. He caught her body in the air, and lifted her by her sword strap instead of her neck so he wouldn't hurt her. Then, he drew her in close to him and stared into her eyes.

"Kal," Diana said in an intense whisper.

At her calling him by the intimate name only she used, Kal paused. Diana saw his brow furrow and his eyes tighten as he struggled for recognition. She was getting through to him, and she had to press on.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked.

"Di … Diana," he groaned in a deep voice. "Princess … Diana."

"Now, remember who you are," she told him again.

However, the lack of connection in her words started to lose him. The slight clearing of the white clouds over his pupils began to fade once again, his blue eyes disappearing behind the hazy emptiness. Diana needed to connect to him, and from their encounter with the fairy succubus, she knew that she could no longer hold back her heart. She had to release her latent feelings for him.

"Kal …," she whispered soft.

Then, slowly leaning in close, Diana pressed her lips to Kal's. It was a chaste kiss, but she carefully raised her hands to the sides of his face to hold him to her. After a long moment, Diana felt Kal gently lowering her body down to the ground. As she stood on her heels, Diana started to lean back to separate them.

Kal did the opposite. The hand which had been holding her up by her strap slipped around to the side of her hair, and his other hand held the small of her back to draw her into him. Kal kissed Diana passionately, strongly and firmly. She hesitated for a moment, but then gave in, allowing her true heart to slip through the cracks of her guardedness.

A moan echoed around them, and it took Diana a long moment to realize that it had come from her. Her arms wrapped around Kal's neck, and her hands tangled in his hair. Gods, she had been wanting to kiss him again so badly since their first night. She had to force herself to part from him.

"Kal, maybe … maybe your feelings aren't real," she said breathlessly. "This could just be … residual effect … from the fairy. I shouldn't …,"

"I remember you, Diana," he told her. "You brought me back. "I know you, and I know how I feel."

Kal kissed Diana again, even more firmly, and for the first time in her life, the woman warrior felt like melting. Her fingers trailed along his cheeks, feeling his warm skin, until she felt cold spots slip under her hands. She quickly leaned back.

As she watched, thin streams of the clouds of white moved over his pupils. Kal blinked and stumbled, shaking his head to try to regain his composure. Diana raised her hands to slide them over his eyes, and they were momentarily clear once again.

"Kal? Kal, stay with me," she said strongly.

"I … I'm here, Diana," he said weakly. "I …"

"What are you feeling?"

"I … I can't seem to focus. My body still feels weak. My mind is cloudy, and I think I'm blacking out or losing some moments of time. Being near you … is helping me."

"A fairy succubus used my body to infect you," said Diana. "Her influence is trying to take control. I … I think I know what to do, but we have to get you safely to the fortress."

At that moment, Selina's voice called out loudly.

"King Kal-El! Princess Diana! Where are you?"

As soon as Selina's voice reached them, the ground began to shake mightily with a reverberating rumble. Diana snatched hold of Kal to steady him, and threw his arm over her shoulders. She wrapped one arm around his waist and placed a hand on the center of his broad chest. The rising earthquake seemed to be so powerful that the walls of the citadel were moving from side to side.

"We're in here!" hollered Diana, noting how the sound indicated a great distance between them. "Follow the tunnel leading straight ahead!"

As Diana and Kal stumbled over to the edge of their tunnel, Bruce and Selina quickly rushed over to them.

"Is the kingdom safe, Knight?" King Kal-El asked in grave concern.

"The League is protecting the people, just as you had planned," The Knight answered. "Your idea of having a group of super powers inside the kingdom to catch our adversaries off guard worked excellently. What's happened here?"

"The King has been infected by a fairy succubus. I wasn't able to stop her. Her dark influence will try to overtake him."

"Is there a way to stop it?" Selina asked in dismay, grabbing Diana's arm in her worry.

"I … I believe I can counteract her," said Diana. "But, we must get him safely to his chambers inside the fortress. It's our best chance to cure him."

"This castle is about to collapse," Selina said gravely. "We have to get you two out of here now."

"Zatanna says it will become an invisible stronghold of evil in our kingdom if we cannot stop it," added Bruce. "It's a paradox. It can only be destroyed from within, and anyone inside it will perish if it is destroyed."

"A poison of evil," reasoned Diana. "Similar to what Satan and Ares did to the hearts of men. If we can't stop this, the world will eventually tear itself apart, beginning with this kingdom."

"The three of you go," King Kal-El said immediately. "I shall stay."

"No!" Selina screamed over the sounds of the thunderous earthquake surrounding them. "You can't do this! There must be another way!"

At that moment, as if their situation could not become more grim, a new army of the green coated spiders began to materialize along all the walls of the citadel. This breed was larger and even more menacing than the others which had been within the city. They growled and hissed ominously, slowly moving closer to attack.

At the same time, the shaking walls of the citadel began to bleed into the ground under them. The dark blackness of their essence started to seep deep into the soil of the physical realm surrounding them. Infection had begun.

"Their final trap," Bruce spoke in a low voice.

"In my absence, the three of you must become a trinity," King Kal-El said quietly, yet still able to be heard over the eruption all around them. "You must defend, strengthen and preserve the peace I have started. The work must be finished."

"No, please," Selina said brokenly. 'You saved a city I thought was lost forever. You made me believe!"

"No, Kal-El!" Bruce said angrily, stepping forward to take hold of The King's arm. "You must be our leader! You embody the symbol of hope to the entire world. I … I am The Knight. I'm a loner. If I were to lead a team, I would inevitably walk away from it. I am darkness. You are light. The true light. The world needs you!"

"Diana, you must agree with me," said King Kal-El as he turned to her. "Make them understand. This sacrifice is necessary."

"No, Kal, they're right," Diana said solemnly, watching as Kal's eyes widen in surprise as he turned to stare at her. "You have to understand. In the spell, I think I saw glimpses of your future."

"What did you see?" he asked.

"You shall give the people an ideal to strive towards," she told him. "They will race behind you. They will stumble. They will fall. In time, they will join you in The Son. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."

At her words, Kal paused solemnly.

Then, suddenly, the closest of the spiders leapt into the air, drawing all the others in the smothering army to follow it.

"Protect them!" King Kal-El hollered as he used the last of his immense strength to push Diana on top of Selina and Bruce, sending the three of them soaring through the tunnel toward the distant entranceway of the citadel.

Then, soaring upward, King Kal-El unleashed the full force of his heat vision, turning in a circle to incinerate the connection of the dark walls at the base of the ground. Incredibly powerful forces beyond all laws of physics began to tear apart the very fabric of the physical realm. The effect was akin to a massive mystical tornado, the geometric forces shattering everything within them.

Outside the citadel, the people watched as it became a massive fire, then crumbled to the ground in a devastating earthquake ...


	14. chapter thirteen

Kingdom of Krypton

Sonrise

All of the kingdom was in mourning.

Most of the citizens of the southern region had witnessed the falling of the dark citadel, standing in the safety of a great distance. All of them knew, without being told, that the well known courage of Their Great King would have led him to be in the epicenter of any attack in order to protect them.

When the stronghold had appeared, the townspeople had been terrorized. Then, as it had collapsed, the last of the spider creatures had faded back out of existence.

They knew they had been saved.

They also knew that the price of their salvation had been his life.

Many of them dropped to their knees in prayer. Others sobbed openly where they stood. Some even started to walk toward the debris following after Flash, Hal and the others which had protected them.

"The King is dead! Long live the new king!" Lord Luthor's voice suddenly shouted over the silence.

All eyes turned to him, exactly as he'd intended. Luthor knew that now was the time to seize the power over the kingdom which he had long awaited. The best way to consolidate control was with a declaration, and he had already chosen his scapegoat.

"Arrest Zatanna now!" he yelled.

"What? On what charge?" Zatanna screamed in surprise. "I've done no wrong!"

"Black magic is behind this! You're a practitioner of the dark arts!" affirmed Luthor. "Take her!"

At his command, several of his minions from his technology provinces, clad in metal suits similar to his own, roughly took hold of Zatanna's arms. She struggled against them, but they were far too physically strong for her small feminine frame. Most of the townspeople stared on, now in more fear and mistrust of her than ever before.

"Unhand me!" she screamed helplessly.

"You will be put on trial, and then burned at the stake," Luthor said with a dark cruelty in his tone. "The King is no longer here to protect you. When you're dead, all the secrets of your sorcery will belong to me."

Zatanna stopped fighting. In his voice, she had heard her fate. She knew that nothing in the mock trial would be fair, and because of her inclination, she would be found guilty.

Luthor and his men, along with Deathstroke and Lobo, quickly led Zatanna away. A large majority of the gathering townspeople followed, unwittingly starting to fall under the umbrella of Luthor as the new king. Only The League and a small remnant stayed behind to watch the burning of the dark citadel.

All hope seemed lost.

Then, barely visible through the smoke, soot and humidity, there came movement emerging from the far side of the fire …

A lone figure …

No. Three …

Actually, four, with one carrying another …

They had all survived.

Hope had returned.

Princess Diana held both her arms around King Kal-El's waist as his arm lay over her shoulders, helping him walk slowly. Beside them, The Knight carried Miss Selina in his arms, cradling her limp body against him protectively. All eyes of the citizens focused on King Kal-El.

The King looked as if he had literally been to Hell and back. He was covered with cuts, tears and severe bruising, as if the dark forces of the crumbling citadel had somehow attempted to destroy his body from within, and had nearly torn him apart. He was only barely conscious. Still, he yet lived, but from his appearance no one was sure for how long.

"Kal-El!" screamed Kara as she rushed over quickly.

"King Kal-El!" yelled Karen as she followed close behind.

"Keep your distance!" The Knight hollered loudly, continuing to move hurriedly through the crowd gathering around them. "Dark forces have poisoned The King. As long as His life is endangered, I trust none of you."

"We must help him," said Stone.

"What do you need us to do?" asked Knightwing as he and his cadre hurried over.

"The Princess will lead us," Knight said quickly.

"We must get him to his fortress," Diana spoke loudly and urgently, firmly taking command of the entire situation. "Our adversaries may attempt another attack upon him while we are weakened. Make us a way through the people. Let's move. On my lead."

Instantly, The League responded to Diana's commands. Falling into step with the four of them, they formed a small circle as they hurriedly neared the inner city. They did not take flight nor move too quickly for the sake of Kal-El's injuries, yet all of them diligently kept watch for signs of further attack.

As they neared the fortress and larger crowds of the townspeople caught sight of Their King, an intense hush fell over all the land.

Most of the entire kingdom dropped to their knees where they had stood, bowing in fervent prayer to God.

Eventually, as The League moved through the city, even those ahead of them were already on their knees praying.

As the group reached the entrance of the fortress, they split into a protective circle surrounding its perimeter. The core four continued on with Knightwing close behind.

"No one gets in here, at all costs," Bruce said to Richard. "Do you understand?"

"They'll have to walk over us to set one foot down," Richard said firmly. "What about you?"

"Selina and I will guard the lowest level as the last line of defense," answered Bruce, not fully comprehending what had just been asked of him.

Staring at young Richard, Selina saw the softness behind his tough eyes. He was so much like Bruce, but not as cold, dark and hardened. In battle, any moment could be one's last, and she decided to take it upon herself to remind Bruce of this.

"We'll be fine," said Selina, slipping out of Bruce's arms to give Richard a gentle hug before ruffling his hair playfully. "You just make sure nothing happens to you or the other children until Mommy and Daddy get back."

Bruce started to follow after Kal and Diana, but then turned back around to stare at Richard. There was a pause. The moment held.

Bruce couldn't help but think of the unique family relations which had been the staple of his life. Having watched his parents die, his father's aide Alfred had raised him. Their relationship had morphed from father and son to brother and brother. Now, this excellent young man, whom Bruce had raised, had proven to be the best measure of a man which could be attained.

As best he could through the dark emptiness within him, Bruce reached out.

"Be safe, Old Chum," he said meaningfully, extending his hand.

Richard paused, took his hand, and then drew him in for a strong hug. This moment had been years long in the making, and it held. Then, the two men parted and turned from one another without another word, back to business.

"Brucie," Selina said sternly as Bruce stepped over to once again take her injured frame in his arms. "A handshake for your son? Is that all? Really?"

"Mommy and Daddy? Really?" Bruce grumbled as he lifted her.

"Oh, you noticed that," Selina whispered sweetly as he carried her over to Kal and Diana.

"Jor-El, initiate lockdown program Gates of Heaven," Kal's voice commanded quietly.

At his words, the central entranceway of the fortress began to close and all security measures were implemented.

"Kal?" Diana called, so surprised at his being coherent that she stopped walking for a moment. "Can you hear me?"

"Jor-El," Kal said again, out of breath as he seemed to ignore Diana. "Activate program Queen Mother voice identification. Record authentication now," Kal said, still not answering Diana. "Authorization code: Last Son Bride."

"Kal?" Diana called his name again. "How are you feeling?"

"Protocol complete," Jor-El's voice said. "Bride recognition confirmed. All access granted."

"My apologies, Diana," Kal said, leaning in close to her. "I couldn't take the chance of you saying no. Just in case, I don't survive the night."

"Kal? What did you just do?" asked Diana.

"I suspect that the entire fortress will now only respond to your commands, Princess," Bruce said as he and Selina reached them.

"Why, Kal?" Diana asked quietly.

"You are The Princess of Themyscira, destined to someday become The Queen, groomed for leadership. It may fall upon you to also lead Krypton, in my stead," he answered her.

Diana paused as she stared at him, contemplating the full depth of what he was asking of her.

"Can you save him?" asked Selina, reaching out to take hold of Diana's right arm as hard as she could, squeezing with all her might in her focused intensity.

"I … I don't know. I'm not certain," Diana faltered in a low voice. "It will require the deepest intimacy, and I … I …"

"Promise me," Selina said gravely, her eyes intent and pleading. "Promise me, and all of Krypton, Gotham and the world, that you will do any and every thing possible to bring him back. Promise me now."

"On my life, you have my word," Diana said sternly.

Selina nodded to her, and Diana returned it with one of her own.

"Jor-El, take us to three," said Diana.

At her words, the floor beneath Kal and Diana sectioned off in a triangle and then began to raise upward as a platform.

"Princess Diana," Jor-El's voice called to her. "Kal-El's condition is grave. His recovery would be aided if the fortress were in settings for full lighted recovery."

"Do it quickly," affirmed Diana.

At her command, the fortress immediately began to reconfigure quietly. The walls and floors disappeared into a beautiful pure whiteness, seeming to fade out of existence completely. Every surface was modified on a molecular level to refract the light of The Son rise on the horizon.

Bruce and Selina watched, hoping that Kal and Diana would come back completely healed, as they seemed to disappear up into Heaven ...


	15. chapter fourteen

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Sunrise

The pure white landscape of the interior of the fortress was startlingly beautiful, but Kal and Diana took no moment to enjoy it. As the raising platform slid to a halt, Diana pulled Kal along with her toward where she remembered the far end of the third level to be. Her face held a visage of deep concern for her paramour.

"Stay with me, Kal," Diana whispered urgently. "It's not your time yet."

"Taking everything I've got … to stand, Diana," he said breathlessly, straining just to speak.

"Your parents will all simply have to keep waiting for you," said Diana.

"What a lucky man I am … to have you. I wouldn't have made it if you hadn't come back for me," Kal said to her. "When the citadel was crumbling around me, I felt the energy tearing me apart from the inside, and I had no strength to make it. You saved me when you pulled me out."

"You would have done the same for me," Diana affirmed. "You would have sacrificed yourself for all. It's the mark of a true Saviour."

"Thank you for what you did, Diana," he said meaningfully.

"I'm going to have to do much more this time. Jor-El, bedroom," said Diana.

At her words, the landscape of the bedroom faded slowly into existence. There were still no walls, but the furnishings appeared exactly where they had been. Diana quickly made her way over to one of the short cabinets she had seen before and opened the top drawer.

The small gleaming red bottle of elixir was there.

Quickly snatching it up, Diana kneeled she and Kal down. With each of them taking a knee, she opened the vial and put a single drop on the floor in front of them.

"Jor-El," she called. "Multiply this substance into a filled basin. Pool size."

After a long moment, the floor in front of them opened up into a small chasm. Then, the single drop of elixir began to expand and flow over the edge into it. The ruby red liquid continued to expand and replicate until it filled up the basin, now sparkling with a brighter luminescence.

"The healing properties of the elixir?" asked Kal.

"You only know a little of it, but I have studied its effects," she told her. "It was covered in an addendum to the twelve treatises on pleasure after its creation by my brother Eros. This artificial replication may dilute its effects, but it should still be sufficient for our purposes."

"I thought you had never done this before?"

"I haven't," affirmed Diana. "But I have read all twelve treatises on pleasure, and the additions. I'm very knowledgeable."

"Okay, I trust you," Kal said with a weak smile..

"Of course, you do," said Diana. "Now, we have to get these off of you to give the elixir full contact with your skin."

With deft hands, Diana pushed Kal's cape off his broad shoulders. Then, she grasped the bottom of his tunic and lifted it over his head and off. She was only barely able to hide the slight pause in her hands and the lingering of her eyes as his big broad bulging chest seemed to burst into view before her eyes. Even with injuries, this man was undeniably handsome. Perhaps even his vulnerability in his weakened state was stirring emotions inside her. The vague thought crossed her mind of how much easier her life would be if she didn't feel this completely disarming attraction to this man.

"Hold on to me," she told him.

Keeping one hand on her shoulder to steady his balance in his debilitated condition, Kal watched as Diana began to disrobe. With a quick motion, she had unclasped her cape and corset, smoothly slipping them down to the floor.

The move was too quick, too sudden, too amazingly revealing. Her two beautiful testaments to womanhood which burst forth as if they had been needing to breathe made his heart stop. Kal's eyes widened comically.

Starting to reach down to slip off her dress, Diana paused. She could feel Kal's body stiffen, his posture tense, and the slight catch in his motion. Still leaning over, she looked up at him.

"You have seen my body before, King Kal-El," Diana said confidently, feeling her power over him. "You have also felt of me. There is no reason you should be so startled."

"Except … it's just that … every time … you seem just as beautiful to my eyes … as the very first time I ever saw you."

Diana paused. Her power slipped away. So did more of her heart.

"We … We should … proceed," said Diana, and as she pulled down her skirt she was suddenly very keenly reminded that she was bare beneath her dress because he had torn her panties off.

She tried to push the arousal of that thought away as she slipped off her high heeled boots. Now completely bare, Diana grabbed Kal's waist and pushed his trousers down. Kal wanted to protest and disrobe himself, but he was far too weakened. While leaning over to lift his legs one by one to pull off his boots, Diana couldn't keep herself from noticing that Kal's near death experience had not at all diminished the size of his unbelievably immense manhood. Down by his knees, she stole a glance, hoping that he wouldn't notice. Even with his injuries holding back his arousal at the sight of her, Kal was hung practically down to his knees. She absolutely couldn't believe what her body had been able to do with that a short while ago. A heated flush ran through her as she remembered what had transpired between them back in the cave. Taking a deep breath to maintain her composure, Diana stood and again slipped her arms around his waist.

"Now, on my lead."

Step by step, the two of them walked down into the gel on the short stairway which materialized below them. They kept walking until they were both immersed below the surface of the gel.

Both Kal and Diana were under for a long silent moment as the ruby red gel swirled around them.

Then, emerging on the other side, the two of them stepped up out of the basin. They stopped as they reached the top of the stairs, and Diana turned to stare at Kal's body. The traces of the elixir magically began to sizzle against their skin, dripping off of them slower than normal water, and partially dissolving into sparkling steam floating around them.

"How do you feel?" she asked quickly.

"I … I don't know," he stammered. The pain is starting to fade … subside. My strength is returning."

"Your outer body is healing rapidly," Diana said as she gently ran her soft fingers over the scarred and bruised skin of his chest which was literally disappearing under her touch. "I had thought the healing process may move far more quickly with your physiology, and I was correct. Now, we still have to heal the spirit inside."

"You sound like a physician," Kal said with a light grin, obviously feeling much better as he continued regaining his strength. "Okay, doctor, how do we proceed?"

"I must enter your mind while you enter my body," Diana said flatly, using a veneer of calm to hide her turbulent inner feminine emotions.

"Come again?" Kal said, his eyes widening in surprise.

"According to my brother Eros, it's the only way to unlock the full potential of the elixir," she answered. "He designed it this way. Love is his specialty, you know."

"Yes, I understand," he said. "I was wondering if you were sure about this? Are you experienced?"

"No man has ever had me," Diana said strongly. "I have never allowed it. You have touched my body more than any other man in my life. But, I'm sure that you're experienced enough for both of us."

"Actually, not," he told her. "You're my first. I've never touched any other woman but you."

His admission gave Diana pause. She stared up into his eyes. She was now more certain than ever that their paths had been destined to meet.

"Diana, before we go any further, I need you to know something … about how I feel for you. I … I …"

"You don't need to say it, Kal," whispered Diana. "You've already said it … in many ways."

"But there's more I need you to know, Diana," he told her. "I don't want things to be like this between us. If you don't want to give of yourself, I'll find a way to reject this infection with my own will somehow. I don't want you to do this if you do not desire it. You're too precious a gift. I …"

"Kal," Diana stopped him, placing a finger softly against his lips as she looked up at him. "I know your heart. I've seen it when we were joined. You should know that … I'm far more willing than I'm able to admit, even to myself. My feelings for you, Kal, are much more strong and deep than I can tell you."

"What … What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.

"I was raised in a culture of women which have been abused by the race of man. Virtually all of them hate you. Yet, I had always held hope in my heart that there may be one which would be higher than what they had known. And then, the providence of The One led me to you. I know that it had to be Him because none of my relatives, not even my father Zeus, could have had the foresight to bring these events to pass. Also, none but Him could have known the hidden depths of my heart. I'm trying to say … you, Kal … are my hope."

He kissed her then, taking her into his arms by her waist as Diana held onto his chest, and all thought left both of them.

Only fear kept them apart. Forcing herself to withdraw from his lips, Diana looked down and away, trying to steady herself. Without restraint, both of them felt as if they could become almost dizzy and intoxicated in their overwhelming desire for one another.

"Okay, we … we need to begin," Diana said, again trying to sound detached, clinical and matter of fact. "Jor-El, bed."

Taking his hand, Diana led Kal over to sit down on the edge of the bed. Then, laying her long legs across his waist, she straddled him. Her intent was to simply get him healed as quickly as possible.

However, Kal had other ideas.

"Just a moment," he whispered.

Taking hold of Diana's hips, Kal lifted Diana up off of him. Her brow furrowed in confusion, but her visage softened as she felt the heat of his strong manly hands holding her tenderly. Standing up, Kal intensely stared into Diana's eyes as he leaned down to kiss her.

The kiss was soft, tender, chaste, a gentle query for entrance. His touch was unbelievably tantalizing to Diana, and her hands raised in a half hearted attempt to resist and stay in her right mind. Almost comically, her attempt at resistance only served against her, as placing her fingers on his bulging pecs made her temperature rise higher. Their lips continued to brush and slide gently, the kiss in perfect harmony.

In mere moments, floodgates fell free. Ironically, Diana was the first one which could take no more. Opening her lips, Diana slipped her tongue into the back of Kal's throat, her hands raising from massaging his broad chest to tangle in the hair behind his neck. In response, Kal's massive arms wrapped all the way around her slim waist, pressing her body against his own. The room around them was suddenly warm with heat.

Without realizing it, Diana's right leg bent at the knee and raised. The two of them became lost in one another. Kal and Diana were in the classic lovers' kiss pose.

Instinctively and unconsciously, their powers began to interact. Gravity itself had no power over these two particular beings. Together, they were simply too powerful.

To Diana's surprise, her heel touched the edge of the bed.

Breaking their heated intimacy, both Kal and Diana looked down.

They were floating.

Ahem.

Their eyes met. Diana looked down, clearing her throat and trying to regain some semblance of self control. Undaunted, seeing that his ministrations were indeed able to elicit some measure of affect on his princess, Kal leaned down and began to suckle along Diana's enticing neck.

Gods, there was no use fighting this. Indeed, this intense connection between them would almost certainly prove pivotal in this battle to exorcise the dark influence threatening him. Okay, they would do this the right way, the way he wanted, the lovers way.

Kal and Diana's lips met again, and, hovering in the air, she leveled them over into a horizontal position. Still kissing, she laid her body on top of his own. Kal and Diana were about to begin their intimate love battle ...


	16. chapter fifteen

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Sunrise

Floating in the air as fairytale lovers, Kal and Diana made love.

Still kissing passionately, she guided him to her entrance. After all that had happened between them, they were both more than ready for one another. He was steel and she was a river, so wet that she was already dripping down onto his length.

Neither of them were prepared to admit the true depth of their feelings for one another. He, the ruler of a rising reign, yet this woman had power over him to figuratively and literally put him on his back. She, the princess of the world's primary prominent women, yet this man had penetrated into the deepest parts of her heart.

They could feel their spirits hovering to leave their bodies, but the desires of the flesh cried out to be sated.

Both of their hearts were pounding. Staring deeply into one another's eyes, Diana began to slide Kal inside her. Taking him in her right hand, Diana swirled his large head all around the soaking wet folds of her intimacy, letting more of her dampness coat his length, then she began to take him in, her mouth falling open from the sensation. Feeling her flower yield to his steel, Diana's knees went weak as her final virgin barrier split under his strength. Her eyes closed and she fell forward, but Kal caught her, holding her tenderly.

Kal kissed Diana sweetly, wanting to share her moment with her, and he took the breath of her moan of release into his own chest. He wanted her to know that with him, she didn't have to be the warrior princess, or the strong amazon. He wanted her to be just Diana.

Diana felt Kal drawing her into him, and she resisted, her prideful womanly will afraid to yield to any man, even this one. She broke their kiss and pulled back. The motion caused her body to slide down lower onto him, and her flesh began to war against her as she became even more connected and enamored and with him.

Kal just kept going deeper into Diana, and her eyes widened slightly as her body began to tense. A slight trepidation ran through her. Gods, there was no end to him. It felt as if he were going to slide up through her womb, into her belly, then all through the rest of her.

"Oh, Kal," she moaned breathlessly. "So deep. Gods, so deep."

"Deeper," he whispered back to her.

Kal's hips rose up to meet Diana's, and finally they were fully joined. Her legs gave out as she gasped, and she felt every ounce of strength leave her. She collapsed onto his broad chest, and Kal held her, kissing her passionately to draw the gasp of her breath into his own mouth. He wanted to experience every part of her. Diana was thankful for Kal's strength to catch her, and when they broke their kiss, she laid her forehead against his own to steady her.

Almost immediately, something neither of them had anticipated began to happen between them. Diana's depths began to squeeze, tense and quiver all over his immense length. In response, Kal's steel grew even longer, wider and harder inside her, stretching her walls out around him. Instantly, strong pressures rose to boiling points within both of them. Instinctively, desperately trying to find some relief from the incredible sensations starting to drive them crazy, Diana began to gyrate, pump and grind on Kal. The magnificent friction was too much, and actually had the opposite effect, only increasing the intensity between them.

In surprise, Diana leaned up and stared down at Kal. Comically, both their eyes dropped to where they were wonderfully joined, and then they looked back up to gaze into each other. She was in shock, absolutely amazed at what Kal was able to do with her body as she felt an orgasm starting to rush through her like a speeding carriage. Kal's mouth fell open in amazement, too, as he felt Diana wondefully drawing out his essence. Neither of them could believe what was happening. They couldn't believe they could climax simply from joining together.

"Kal?" she moaned.

"Diana?" he whispered.

Their bodies exploded, and it was the way in. The battle began. Sensation overtook them, and Diana squeezed her eyes closed ...

… and opened her eyes to find herself floating weightlessly under water. The water had a kind of glowing red hue, similar to the color of the elixir itself. As her blurred vision began to gain some measure of focus, Diana realized that she was surrounded by a swirling cloud which was slowly clearing. She was inside of Kal's consciousness. As she looked around, she saw that she was in a nexus of tunnels. There were white tunnels all around her, but one black passageway loomed ominously off to her left.

This was the infection. The battle would be there. Diana dove downward toward it.

Everything seemed to be moving in an unusual slow flowing motion, almost a dreamlike state.

"Kal?" Diana called out loudly. "Kal? Can you hear me?"

As Diana soared into the darkened passageway, she could see light at the other end of the tunnel only a few feet away. Drawing up to its edge, it opened into a room similar in appearance to Kal's bedroom.

In the center of the small space, Kal sat upon a large throne. His eyes were completely glassed over with the white clouds of the spell, and he seemed stolid, calm and stoic. However, he wasn't alone.

The other Diana was there. Like Diana herself, she was bare, floating around Kal's throne with a slow sweeping motion. Unlike Diana, her eyes were glassed over like Kal's, as if she were under the same spell as he.

Instinctively, Diana reached a hand up and started forward. Her hand was stopped, and she immediately realized that there was an invisible wall around Kal and the other Diana.

As Diana watched, the other Diana quickly leaned over to try to kiss Kal. However, with a swift motion, Kal grabbed the other Diana by her shoulders, holding her at a slight distance from him. With frustration, the other Diana leaned back out of his grasp, floated around him, and then tried to move down and kiss him again. Once again, with his visage staring forward blankly, Kal stopped her. From the intensity of the other Diana, it was obvious that this little dance had been going on for some time.

"Kal!" Diana yelled to him as she pounded on the barrier. "Kal! Keep resisting her! Don't give in!"

At her words, Kal's head raised as if he were listening or her voice, but his covered eyes didn't seem to see he

The other Diana's head snapped around and she hissed at Diana with red hot eyes full of daggers. Diana didn't back down, staring back at her defiantly. With a haughty and predatory grin, the other Diana snapped her hands onto the sides of Kal's face and tried to press her lips to his own. Kal caught her, but she had drawn closer to him with this attempt.

Even though she had been held at bay, the other Diana smirked at her. It was only a matter of time until she found a way in. Perhaps even Diana's voice and presence were weakening Kal's resistance.

Angered at the arrogance the other Diana held over her, Diana swung a punch which reverberated off the barrier. The invisible wall was simply too malleable and tensile. Because it moved under her power and seemed to absorb it, physical strength would never break through it.

There had to be another avenue of attack. She thought quickly. Then, she squeezed her eyes closed …

… and gasped loudly as she again slid down on Kal's massive length in the physical realm. He was suckling on her large breasts with fervor, teasing her thick engorged nipples with hard bites, then soothing them with sexy licks and nibbles. The sensations were immediately intensely overwhelming, and Diana felt dizzy and lightheaded with pleasure. Her hands were rubbing up and down his broad chest, as she had secretly longed to do ever since the first moment she had laid eyes on Kal with his shirt off, and loving the feel of his muscled pecs under her fingernails. Holding herself back from sliding all the way down on him, Diana slowed her rhythm, and tried to regain some measure of control.

"Kal?" she said breathlessly. "You … You have to … let me in. Can … Can you see me?"

"Oh Diana," he groaned. "I can feel you. I can … really feel you."

Comically misunderstanding her as he was lost in her sensation, Kal slid his hands down to Diana's hips and slid her down low on him.

"Oh gods, Kal," moaned Diana as he ran deep up in her, but she was able to hold herself up from sliding all the way down so he wouldn't hit those pressure points inside her that only he could reach and set off another mind numbing peak.

"I want all of you, Diana," Kal told her, taking a handful of her sweet firm ass to spread her cheeks while he slid his long finger into her backside. "Every inch, Princess. Come to me."

Diana couldn't hold back her loud moan as he penetrated deep into her firmly. The sensations were overwhelming, and as she threw her head back in ecstasy, her eyes fell closed …

… and back in Kal's consciousness, Diana opened her eyes to see the blind Kal finally turn toward her. She stared on, as realization dawned on her. Of course, force wouldn't break the barrier. To achieve victory in this battle, she had to follow the hardest path. She had to submit …

… in the body, after her initial climax when Kal had entered her, Diana had tried to hold back. She didn't like losing all control like that to a man. Well, she'd loved it actually, but she didn't like admitting that to herself. She had been careful not to slide all the way down on him since that first entrance, afraid he would hit those sweet spots somewhere inside her, but now she let herself take to enjoying him. Three long, good thrusts in and out, and that was it. Her long legs were again quivering against his hips as another orgasmic shockwave prepared to burst inside her.

"Kal," she called breathlessly. "I need … I need you to let me in."

"Cum for me, Diana," Kal ordered, supremely enjoying the feel of her.

Diana's eyes widened at Kal's taking control of her like that, but some part of her femininity couldn't resist her king. At his command, her flower spasmed, clinched and burst on his hard wide length buried in her. Instantly, Diana came all over Kal, her womanly juices coating his steel and making him slide even more easily in and out of her as she pumped hard while the friction drove her out of her mind …

… and back into his. She stumbled forward through the wall separating her and Kal, and she found it difficult to walk. Her legs felt weak and shaky because even her ethereal self resonated with the intense orgasm Kal had just bestowed upon her. Yet, her attention was immediately drawn forward as Kal's arms reached out toward her from his throne.

"Kal?" she called.

The other Diana stared angrily as Diana floated over to Kal, but she didn't move to block her, almost as if she couldn't for some reason. Unlike with the other Diana, Kal returned Diana's touch, starting to grasp her waist as she settled her hands on his shoulders.

But then, the other Diana reacted quickly. Stepping behind Diana, she snatched hold of her shoulders and started pulling her backward, her long sharp fingernails extending into razor sharp talons digging viciously into her skin. At her touch, Diana immediately felt lightheaded, weak and disoriented. Her energy was being drained out of her by the second, akin to the way a vampyre would suck the blood out of a victim. She began to lose consciousness as she was pulled away from Kal. She was losing her connection with his mind …

… and fell back into her physical connection with him. Still riding on top of him, Diana slowed, her head slumping onto his chest as her body came down from her peak.

"Kal?" she murmured weakly. "Passing out. Can't reach you."

"Then, I'll reach you," Kal whispered firmly.

Quickly wrapping his right arm completely around Diana with his bulging muscles squeezing her waist, Kal rolled them over so that she was underneath him. With one smooth motion, he took her right ankle in his left hand to stretch her open, then he thrust his hips forward to ram home deep inside her. Diana cried out in pleasure, feeling another orgasm building faster than ever before in her life.

"More!" she screamed, enjoying him giving her exactly what she needed.

"Yes, My Princess," groaned Kal.

At her command, Kal took hold of Diana's other ankle to hold her wide open, then he started to slam into her, the striking concussive force actually jarring the entire fortress around them despite the advanced environmental and dimensional protections. Angling her hips, Diana moved in sync in him, giving just as good as she was getting. The pounding they started giving each other was merciless, the two of them staring into one another's eyes wantonly, heatedly, deeply, until Diana broke and threw her head back in ecstasy ...

… and in Kal's mind, her head falling back crashed directly into that of the succubus Diana. The grip of the fingernail talon claws digging into her shoulder blades fell away, leaving deep red passion marks in her skin. The vicious drain of her essence ceased instantly, but she had no strength and began to fall downward.

Kal's strong arms wrapped around her waist instantly, lifting her back up and into his lap. Diana strained to raise her hands to grasp his neck to help steady her balance. Then, she quickly turned her head to locate the other Diana as Kal held her close.

To her amazement, now the other Diana was outside the wall. She stood at the edge of the dark tunnel, her eyes glowing a distinctive dark red hue in her glaring rage. Her long sharp clawed fingernails slashed continually at the invisible barrier, but it moved under her power and would not break. Turning back around, Diana found Kal's eyes now clear and coherent, seemingly free of the cloudy influence.

"Kal, we have to keep her out," she said urgently.

"Come here, Diana," Kal said with a somewhat surprising calmness, obviously fully back in his right mind now.

Taking a firm hold of her slim hips in his strong hands, Kal lifted Diana up and then positioned her directly over his nature standing hard as steel at the ready for her. He waited until she gave him a nod. Then, without even using their hands, Diana moved her hips perfectly in sync with his to slide him inside her.

Joining in the ethereal was far more all encompassing than in the physical, but not as visceral. As they became one, it felt like their celestial bodies were ever so slowly flowing into each other. Giving in, Diana couldn't resist leaning forward to kiss him, and their lips slid together softly, sweetly and succulently.

As Kal and Diana began to make slow love, the darkness of the infected tunnel behind them began to change into a clear whiteness, slowly causing the fairy succubus to fade away along with the shadows.

The slow cleansing of the spiritual …

… translated into unbridled passion in the physical. Kal let go of holding Diana's legs open by her ankles, and she simultaneously pulled his large manly frame down on top of her. They kissed passionately, profusely, possessively.

Being an Amazon warrior, Diana found it hard to deny how much she relished the heavy weight of his powerful frame pressing down on her. Kal was the only man in the universe strong enough to dominate her. She felt as if she were being taken, pleasured beyond her wildest dreams, and cherished like the most beautiful princess in the world.

Diana's hips rushed up to meet his pounding thrust for thrust, both of them moaning, panting and groaning. They were sweating profusely, hands feeling everywhere they could reach, loving how they were bonded in every way. Diana gasped loudly when Kal broke their manic kissing and began suckling all over her sweet neck. They both felt as if they were on a runaway caravan of love and there was no stopping it.

Just seconds after leaving the spiritual, the physical became intensely overwhelming for Kal and Diana. Their lovemaking was just simply too strong, too intense and too powerful. Both their bodies began to tense, twist and tighten uncontrollably, rushing relentlessly toward release.

"Kal," she panted harshly. "Kal, I'm going to …"

"... with me, Diana," he groaned into the side of her neck. "Now."

"Ooohhh …"

Kal and Diana exploded together like never before. Diana's back arched high, pushing him impossibly deeper inside her. Kal bore down on her, sealing their lips together as she screamed his name. Her arms squeezed his neck as tight as she could, fighting for some measure of grounding as she lost all control. Her legs tensed, tremored and trembled against his muscular thighs, her entire body locked in a constant state of continuous climax. Cradling her shoulders in his hands, Kal held his hips pushed down into her, bottoming out in the depths of her belly, feeling the tension in his body uncoil as he began to empty himself. Their releases seemed as if they would never end, with her juices squirting out to fully coat his length and sac, while he just kept pouring into her.

Shaking with intensity, Kal and Diana both opened their eyes as they were still kissing through their shared climax, until their eyes rolled up, and they passed out together …


	17. chapter sixteen

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Dawn

Afterglow.

Sparkling beauty everywhere.

The outer surface of the fortress had altered its molecular structure with the sun rising on the horizon, allowing light to cascade in like a flowing cloud. The illumination sparkled with glowing prisms, silently floating all over the quiet sanctuary. The scene was magical.

However, the scenery flowing through the unconscious connected minds of Kal and Diana were even more magical …

Together, through the magic of the elixir, they were breezing through the multiverse … seeing, touching, living … entire lifetimes passing in mere moments …

Kal and Diana … always coming together … for the good of all the universe …

.. Kal, an energetic laborer, Diana, an aspiring heiress, brought together in love aboard a doomed sea ship known as the Titanicus, which was unknowingly transporting a weapon of global destruction, saving lives up until the very last moment when the vessel sank to the bottom of the ocean …

… Diana, a strong willed youthful socialite, driven by her mother Lynda to try to stay away from the undying love of the poor steel mill worker Kal, until the two of them save the town from a worldwide environmental disaster, their love read by their daughter Lara chronicled in a sacred Notebook …

… Kal, a strong farm boy, Diana, his young charge, the two of them falling into first love before they are separated by tragedy, reuniting years later to save the most prominent kingdom in the world before he takes her as his Princess Bride …

… Diana, grief stricken widowed wife of aged Kal, he having met an untimely end, and she devastated at his loss to the point of making a terrible mistake, and he follows What Dreams May Come in his search through the depths to find her, their agape displaying the love of God for all creation to witness ...

… Kal, the last survivor from the planet Krypton, known to the world as The Superman, and Diana, the last remnant of an Amazon race left turned to stone, known to the world as The Wonderwoman, joining forces in love and war to defeat a planet killing monstrosity called Doomsday …

… for the good of all the universe, always coming together … Kal and Diana …

… in every multiverse …

Together, returning, coming back into the reality of The Kingdom of Krypton, staring deeply into one another's eyes, holding each other's bodies as they tremble simultaneously.

Then, Kal took Diana tenderly in his arms, and kissed her.

The kiss was soft, sweet, chaste, their lips barely grazing, like a gentle breeze. Her hands slowly raised to tangle inextricably in his hair, rubbing the nape of his neck sensuously. His arms wrapped completely around her slim shoulders, holding her to him warmly.

For Kal and Diana, time moved in slow motion.

The kiss seemed to last forever, on and on, without end. It may have literally been hours. They simply couldn't stop.

It was a virtually perfect moment of love.

Love.

Despite her being enveloped, enticed and entranced by Kal's warmth, her heart suddenly turned ice cold with a twinge of trepidation.

Gods, she … she had given him her body. Yet, he … he desired her heart. All of her.

She wasn't ready.

Achingly, Diana suddenly broke their kiss. She forced her lips away from his own and abruptly made her way out of his comforting arms. It took quite a bit of effort to pull her hips off of his long thickness, and she immediately felt an emptiness without Kal filling her body. Her emotions fell, as breaking away from Kal truly felt as if she were tearing out her own heart.

And, just like that, their bond was broken … to far more detriment than Diana realized.

"Excuse me, Kal," she whispered awkwardly, sliding over to the edge of the bed, standing facing away from him as she dressed in super speed. "We … We need to get you back to your people. The kingdom needs you."

Then, as soon as she fastened her corset, Diana felt it.

The spell was back.

She stopped moving.

Then, Diana slowly turned around to gaze up at Kal.

She suddenly realized … this intimate battle … was far from over ...


	18. chapter seventeen

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Dawn

Exuding power, strength and dominance, Kal slowly rose to hover in the air in front of Diana. His powerful body frame was taut, bulging and poised for combat. However, the expression on his face was blank and empty, completely devoid of emotion or recognition. There was a cloud of white haze completely covering his pupils, again making his usually warm eyes a frightening and menacing sight.

Staring up at him, Diana quickly discerned what had happened. Kal's inner spirit had been healed, but now the infection in the flesh had to be dealt with. The spell had been brought out into the open, as it had to be in order to be completely exorcised.

"Kal?"

He gave her no response, and Diana didn't hesitate a moment longer. Ever the warrior of action, Diana dove into motion. She would simply have to incapacitate him, then figure out what to do next.

With a cry of warrior strength, Diana surged forward. She sprang up soaring at Kal with full force. Drawing her arm back for a quick blow, Diana swung a forceful and precise palm strike aimed at Kal's throat. Her plan was to knock the air out of him, then follow up with a shot that would put him down.

Kal's speed surprised her, as from his floating still position, he was able to turn to his side with amazing swiftness. However, Diana reacted with the skill of a warrior of the highest caliber. Having missed her first strike, she readjusted in the air, spinning smoothly and swinging her left elbow directly at his head. Executing an immeasurably fast spin of his own, Kal ducked, while simultaneously wrapping his massive left arm around her slim waist to fling her body toward the far wall of the bedroom. Diana soared through the air at breakneck speed for several seconds, unable to slow her momentum from the extreme force he used to throw her. She prepared herself for the impact and to recover quickly.

Yet, before she could crash into the fortress wall, Diana suddenly felt her back slam into something which was simultaneously soft and pliable yet hard and strong. The air was slightly knocked out of her chest, but she began to recover quickly. He was behind her.

Diana took a deep breath as she realized that Kal's large arm was stretched possessively across her heaving breasts. He had thrown her and then caught her to protect her. Instinctively, her hands grabbed onto his muscular forearm holding her.

As Kal was holding Diana in place with his left arm, his right had landed on her belly. With the faerie influence continually gaining a stronger hold on his flesh, he had virtually no mental inhibitions left. His right hand slowly began to move lower on Diana's waist, his large manly fingers slowly drawing nearer her intimacy.

Diana's eyes widened as she felt where his hand was moving.

Just as his large firm fingers touched the tip of her sensitivity, Diana forced herself to react. Bending her knees as she raised her legs, she kicked her spike heels backward to push off of him. As she inadvertently impacted his crotch, her heart skipped a beat as she couldn't help but notice that his … steel … was once again more than ready for her. Diana broke out of Kal's grasp and spun around to face him.

"Kal? Talk to me," she urged in a quiet voice for only the two of them. "I need you to tell me what you're feeling. Just tell me what you need. We can try to heal this."

King Kal-El didn't respond. He only continued staring at her intently. When Kal gave no response to her words, Diana resorted to action as was always her inclination. She flew at Kal again, this time connecting solidly on his jaw with a forward kick which knocked him backward into the wall behind them. Kal hadn't moved, as if he had just allowed her to make her strike against him.

Diana knew that she had better finish him while she had the chance. Having connected solidly with her right side kick, Diana expertly switched her mid air balance and followed with a strong high left kick toward his head. However, Kal quickly blocked her second kick, actually catching her left ankle in his right hand. Before she could swing another strike, Kal surged forward, snatching hold of the side of her waist with his left hand as he pushed her downward.

This time, Diana felt the impact as Kal threw her down onto her back under him. Her right leg had fallen to hang loosely hooked around his midsection. Swiftly adjusting his hands while Diana was momentarily disoriented from the sudden impact, Kal reached up to snatch both of her wrists and hold them above her head. Once again, Diana's eyes widened in surprise as she realized the implications of their … position.

With her legs wide open and Kal pressed securely between them, Diana could again feel his … steel … pressing against her innermost sensitivity. Shocked at the contact and the situation, she tried hard to lift her hands out of his grasp, but Kal continued to hold her firmly in place. Unconsciously, Diana's heart began to pound harder in her chest even more so than the combat had incited. She grunted and focused her strength, but she still couldn't break Kal's hold on her.

Staring down at her as he held Diana firmly in place, Kal didn't move. Without malice or anger, it seemed as if he were calmly waiting for her to acknowledge his dominance over her without hurting her. It was blatantly obvious that he was very much in control. Diana was helpless.

Adjusting her midsection to attempt an attack, the movement had the added effect of sliding her softness all along his hardness, and the two of them stared intensely into one another's eyes during the intimate contact. Angling her waist, Diana drew her knees up and pulled her legs in, then pushed out, her heels digging into Kal's chest to knock him back. Again, it seemed as if he simply let her make her move.

Kal slid backward on his shoulders for several feet before flipping up to hover powerfully in the air. Still disoriented, Diana struggled to raise up on her elbows and brush her long hair out of her eyes. The two combatants stared at each other in a momentary pause which was far more heated than the usual fire of combat.

Diana was stunned. Kal could have … taken her … if he had chosen, and there wouldn't have been anything she could have done to stop him. Just this thought sent a plethora of new sensations coursing through her body.

Diana had rarely been shaken in battle in her lifetime, but the few times, had never been like this. Not in this way. Her heart had pounded hard before, but it had never skipped every other beat. She had been winded before, but she had never been completely unable to catch her breath. Her blood had run fast before, but it had never been on fire like this ever.

"Kal?" Diana called as she stood to her feet and started to walk toward him. "Can you understand me? Talk to me."

In response, Kal landed and began to stride toward her undaunted.

"Please don't make me do this," Diana whispered intensely.

Kal and Diana walked to meet one another purposefully, even the adversarial heat between them exuding hot sensual allure.

Diana raised her hands, preparing to cross her bracelets. A power surge would put him down, and then she could try to figure out how to deal with this. Her forearms swung toward one another, then stopped, because Kal had caught them.

He had surged forward quickly, with such speed that the eye could barely track his movement, and he suddenly held her arms outward to keep them apart, preventing her blast.

Gods, he was strong. No matter how hard she struggled, Diana couldn't move her arms out of his grasp. She had to try another attack.

Diana slammed her forehead against Kal's. He recoiled slightly, himself amazed at the strength and power contained within such a beautiful body, but still held her arms in an unbreakable vice grip. Regaining himself, Kal let his body hover up in the air above Diana, then he rammed his head into her tiara. This time, the power of the man knocked Diana onto the floor on her back with a harsh gasp, laying her down for the count.

War ... fighting … battle ... would not bring victory in this conflict … only love ...


	19. chapter eighteen

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Dawn

As the floor of the fortress quickly reformed underneath her from the impact, Princess Diana slowly raised herself up to her knees, struggling to hold back the wave of dizziness which threatened to overtake her.

King Kal glided down in front of her. He was so powerful. He was so mighty. He was so strong.

When Kal truly cut loose, Diana was no match for him. Wielding the might to literally lift planets, he was simply another level of power. Reluctantly, Diana began to realize that she may have to face the fact that she may not be able to defeat Kal.

She looked up as he hovered over her. Diana immediately again noticed that he wasn't moving to attack her. Kal simply stayed still, watching her as he waited. She suddenly realized that perhaps his aggression toward her had been in response to her attacking him.

Looking down as she gathered her strength to stand, Diana immediately took notice of the fact that she was directly eye to eye with Kal's crotch. She paused. For a moment, the famed warrior princess well known for her propensity for action now found herself almost at a complete loss as to what to do, but a new train of thought began to slip into her mind.

The warrior within Diana wanted to muster her strength and attempt an uppercut attack, but she stopped herself. In order to truly defeat the influence of the fairy, she knew that it was time for the woman within her to take over and take charge. She had now seen and experienced the power of intimacy. After last night with Kal, she had another avenue of attack. All of the treatises on pleasure suddenly rushed through her mind.

She was reminded of one particular old saying … there is more than one way to calm a savage beast.

Instead of moving up, Diana decided to go down … on Kal.

She leaned forward and placed her palms on the floor in front of her, and then she began to crawl her way toward him on her hands and knees. Moving with a slow, sensuous, seductive ease, Diana allowed her hips to sway from side to side as she kept her eyes staring up into his own boldly. Now, the warrior side of her completely relented, acknowledging that if there were anyone in existence to whom she would willingly bend her will, her mind and her body, it was this one man. Diana decided that she would again give all of herself to Kal. She hoped this would work to her advantage.

Kal gazed down upon her, and Diana noticed the slight widening of his clear eyes, the touch of color returning to the pale skin of his face, and the obvious growing of the bulge below his waist. He watched her with a calm intensity, his gaze focusing on her sleek eyes, the gentle flow of her curly hair, the long spiked red high heels trailing behind her, and the seductive sway of her wide womanly hips as she neared him.

When Diana was close enough to touch Kal, she saw him tense, his bulging muscles prepared for action if she were to try to mount an attack.

Well, she was going to … mount … an attack, but just not in the way that he was expecting her to do so.

Still on her hands and knees staring up into his eyes, she slowly leaned forward and pressed her full luscious lips against the massive bulge in his center. Diana felt Kal get even larger and harder against her mouth, and she held there for a long moment, still staring up at him. He seemed to sense that he had broken her to his will, and his muscles relaxed, easing into the lack of threatening combat.

She had been right! This had been the only way to distract Kal and get his defenses down. Well … now to get … his pants … down.

Moving very carefully, remembering to respect the monumental power which stood in front of her, Diana raised her hands up and unfastened Kal's belt clasp. Great warrior though she was, even she found a slight tremble in her hands as she tried to prepare herself for this new form of combat. Continuing to unfasten his lower garments, Diana slid her hands along the sides of his waist to pull them down.

However, as soon as her sleek lovely nails grazed Kal's skin, he reacted violently. His left hand suddenly snatched hold of the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her bushy curls as he took a firm grip and yanked backward.

Diana was unable to stifle a startled gasp as she found herself staring helplessly up into his clear pupil less eyes. This wasn't her Kal. This wasn't the same man she had been intimate with last night. This wasn't the man that she had fallen for. No, this monster was a being of pure unbridled power and might. Every pore and sinew of his masculine physique exuded strength and dominance. To an Amazon warrior, raised in a culture taught to admire the qualities of combat, being this close to such a primal force of nature could become almost heady and intoxicating. The thought of having all of this man's … passion … focused solely on her sent an unexpected wave of womanly heat flooding through her body. It was enough to make her knees feel slightly weak.

"Kal …," she whispered.

Diana felt a touch of shame at her body's reaction to Kal. The Amazons had been brutally wronged by the race of men in the past, and her mind told her that it was wrong for a female warrior to desire to willingly bend herself to a man's will like this. Yet, the woman inside the warrior found it hard to resist the one man in the universe which could claim her as his own as he had last night.

Diana had to try to fight through the haze of desire momentarily clouding her mind. It was now obvious that her plan must have failed. Perhaps King Kal-El didn't have a weakness for her at all. Perhaps he no longer felt any desire for her. Perhaps she was just another woman to him.

Diana didn't let her mind dwell on the touch of sadness which crept into her heart at these thoughts. She didn't have time for sorrow. It was now imperative that she attempt some kind of attack. Having instinctively held onto his hips to steady her balance as he had yanked her hair, she thought of trying a swift blow on his manhood. A low blow indeed, but this Kal had already proven to her that trying to beat him in a fair fight would be folly. The Amazon prepared to make her move.

However, before she could move her hands off of his hips, she was stopped by the sudden sensation of Kal's other hand tenderly sliding the back of his fingers across her cheek. Diana paused and remained still, acquiescing to him by not moving a muscle. The soft touch of his right hand was in stark contrast to the way he had her hair in an iron grip with his left.

Diana stared up at Kal as the clouds of pure white daze which hung over his pupils faded for a few seconds, and she caught just a minor glimpse of the crystal blue eyes that she secretly longed to gaze into. It was working. Just when she thought this strategy was going to fail because Kal felt no desire for her, she was indeed rewarded with proof of its success.

Slowly, almost uncertainly, Kal's hand in her hair began to pull her up to her feet. After hesitating for a strange moment, Kal then began to lean down toward her face quite awkwardly. Diana's brow furrowed in confusion as she watched him oddly purse his lips toward her, and she drew back from him with slight trepidation.

"Kal, what …,"

Then, her mouth dropped open as realization dawned on her. He was trying to kiss her! Of course! He was trying to kiss her because he was too mannerable to let a woman go down on him without kissing her first. The Kal that she knew was still in there, and she would find a way to bring him back out. Oh yes, he was definitely her Kal. Diana firmly made up her mind that she would fully use the woman inside the warrior to bring out the man inside the monster.

Kal's lips pressed against Diana's strangely and clumsily, almost as if he were trying to remember how to kiss. She could actually feel his lips upon her own, and it was again a somewhat startling sensation. Only this man had ever been strong enough to really make her feel true touch. Being with him, she was finally able to fully experience what it felt like to touch and be touched. With his reaching out for her, she knew that she had to draw him in.

Carefully sliding her hands up along the sides of his

waist and over his powerful pecs, Diana leaned forward sensuously, letting her body lightly press against his own. As her hands slid over his warm cheeks, she opened her mouth and took control of the kiss, deepening it as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. This elicited an appreciative growl from the monster, and she felt the vibrations rumble through her breasts deliciously.

Diana was surprised as Kal allowed her to direct their kiss. He let her hands on his cheeks maneuver him, and soon their lips were succulently in sync. The attraction they felt was magnetic. The feelings they shared were mystical. The synergy between them was magical.

Diana now understood the plight of her Amazon sisters on an entirely new level. This bonding which could exist between a man and a woman had the power to be absolutely all consuming. And, the most difficult thing about this connection was the fact that it was blatantly obvious that neither of them would never ever be able to get enough of it.

This unrestrained Kal was pleasingly overwhelmed by Diana. His heightened senses were inundated with her, savoring each and every touch, smell and taste of her. All his barely functioning mind could process was that he had to have more, he craved to have all of her, and nothing in the universe was going to stop him.

Mustering her strength, the warrior forced herself to tear her lips away from his own, attempting to regain some measure of control over the situation. In response, Kal roughly began to suckle and bite his way down the soft sweet skin on the side of Diana's neck. A loud moan of pleasure echoed through the air, and it took Diana a long moment to realize that the sound had come from her. She had to try to find some way to fight back. She pushed at his shoulders.

"Kal, wait, I ...," she tried to begin.

His response stunned her. As she tried to extricate herself from him, the monster slammed his large hands down on her slim hips and took an inhumanly powerful grasp on her. He uttered a loud intense animalistic growl of denial, and this display of primal need for her again stoked her womanly heat against her will.

Kal crushed Diana's lithe body upon his own, lifting her off her feet and leaving her high heels dangling in the air. His lips again attacked the soft sensitive skin of her neck, making her body start to tremble as more heat and wetness pooled in her center. She could feel him, she could really feel him, and every touch and sensation was deliciously overwhelming. Kal held her hips so roughly that he made her back bend, and she knew that he would surely have snapped the body of a lesser woman in two. These hands which wielded the power to move continents could easily demolish a human body on a whim.

Diana felt an immense feminine pride in the fact that she was indeed not a lesser woman. Only perhaps a handful of women in the universe could withstand the strength of this man. She absentmindedly wondered where were the likes of Maxima when one needed her, but Diana's heart immediately rebuked the thought as soon as it crossed her mind. Oh no, even in this situation, she wouldn't want anyone else to touch her Kal. After last night, she felt possessive of him. She would be extremely jealous of any other woman with him in a … battle … such as this one.

The monster wasted no time. Raising one powerful hand to the center of her back to hold her in place, Kal kissed and sucked his way over her cleavage to latch his lips onto her turgid right nipple. The shriek of intense ecstasy she gave had escaped her before she'd even realized she had opened her mouth. Her taut brown nub was already hyper sensitive, and it became even more so as he bit her entire areola into the back of his throat and sucked so hard that it seemed as if he were trying to draw milk out of her. He continued sucking on her large round tits, his lips latched onto them harder than a breast feeding babe.

Kal folded Diana even more tightly against him as he bore down on her, and her legs fell open around his thighs as his engorged manhood pressed into her damp center. Latching her hands onto his cheeks in a vain attempt to pull him off of her only made Kal apply even more magnificent suction, and Diana squeezed her eyes closed with her face a lovely mixture of pleasure and pain. Comically, Kal misunderstood her hands grabbing his face as encouragement, and he quickly kissed his way over to her other breast, lavishing even more attention on it.

Diana's entire body lit up as if on fire. Gods, he was actually chewing on her. The all consuming sensation was simply an overload, and something inside Diana just snapped.

Catching her completely off guard, her body orgasmed violently. It felt as if an electric shock of intense pleasure suddenly sparked and whipped through her. The betrayal of her body was uninhibited, as if it had wholistically chosen to side with Kal. Her hands locked around his neck in a death grip as Diana held onto him for dear life. The harsh spasming of her physique against him didn't deter the monster in the least, as he continued chewing on her thick nipples all through her climax and intensified it.

As Diana began to come down from her sudden peak, her mind dazed and more than a little exasperated from the unexpected overload, she could feel her own juices dripping from the insides of her thighs. They had barely even started this battle, and she was already a total mess for him. She had never before been so turned on in her entire life.

Diana couldn't believe that Kal had made her cum using just his mouth on her breasts. Diana thought to herself that it was as if this aggressive Kal had turned the virginal princess into his wanton slut. Somehow, she had to regain herself and then take back the upper hand.

Well, perhaps the key was to indeed take the situation ... in hand.

Diana remembered the adverse reaction of the monster the last time that she had tried to extricate herself from him, so she knew she had to devise a different strategy this time. Communication was the key. She had to get the beast to willingly give her room to work.

"Kal-El, King and Ruler of all Krypton, I ask that you allow me to give to you … that which is your rightful booty."

Kal paused at the word ... 'booty.'

Diana tried her best to make her words come out sounding formal and regal, but she was only able to manage a breathy husky whisper. Nevertheless, it produced the desired effect. The monster halted his incessant suckling of her long enough for her to regain some decent measure of her power of speech.

"Let me ... Let me pleasure you, my king," she continued breathlessly, punctuating her words with light gentle kisses along the side of his neck as her fingernails caressed his chest. "Allow me ...Princess Diana of Themyscira ... to ... serve ... you, the way that a queen should please her sire."

Moving very slowly so as not to alarm the beast, Diana continued her gentle ministrations. Glancing up at him out of the corners of her eyes, she could see that she had garnered his undivided attention. She was reassured of her control over him as his hands raised from her waist, one holding her by the small of her back and the other tangling in her hair once again, but more gently this time. Diana didn't fight Kal as he turned and leaned her down, forcing all her attention to focus on him, the pose not unlike that of a dancer's dip.

"Princess ... Diana," he forced out, his strained voice hoarse and gravelly. "Stay ... with Kal-El?" he asked. "For ... ever?"

As he spoke, Diana watched the white clouds over his eyes fade in and out. Depths were visible within them, and she could tell that in his question, Kal and the monster were one. What he had asked was genuine, truthful and meaningful. As she uttered her reply, her lower lip slightly trembled.

"I'm yours, Kal," she answered. "I ... I shall never leave you. We'll always be together."

At her words, a contented half smile crossed the face of the monster.

"My ... Princess," he growled as he leaned in closer and began to possessively suckle on the skin of her neck once again. "Diana. Mine. My … Queen," he snarled.

His demanding handling of her sent waves of heat burning through her once again, and Diana knew she had to keep the upper hand in this battle. Now much more confident that the monster Kal would do her no grievous harm, she placed both her hands on his chest and pushed him back upright enough for her to stand on her feet. He wasn't treating her as harshly as he had been before she declared herself to him, and the woman that had spent the majority of her life never having experienced true touch didn't want to admit to herself how much she missed his excessive handling.

Now that she had him slightly more tame, he allowed her to carefully push him backward until his back was braced against the wall behind them, constantly whispering words of adoration as she suckled on his neck the same way he had done to her.

"Let me make you feel like the king you are, My Lord. I can please you. I'm only for you. No other man has had me or can have me except you. Only you, Kal," she whispered heatedly between tantalizing kisses, slowly and carefully reaching up to lift his tunic off. "You are My King. Do you feel that? Do you like that, My Prince? Do you desire me?"

Letting her sharp fingernails seductively scratch downward over his bare torso as she kissed her way down his body, Diana licked every ridge of his chiseled abs as she slowly dropped to her knees in front of Kal. Her eyes widened at the extremely impressive display of engorged manhood before her.

Gods, he was at least fourteen Amazonian inches long. Not yet fully erect, he hung down almost to his knees. With her inexperience, Diana wasn't sure if she could handle him.

She decided to start off slow to perhaps try to tease him into submission. Wrapping both her hands around him, she began to stroke him warmly from tip to stem. His girth was so wide that her fingers could only barely touch holding him. Leaning under him to lick the underpart of his shaft, she used her saliva to get him wet so she could run her fingers over his length more smoothly. Then, she opened her mouth and sucked his large sacs into her cheeks, rolling each one of them around with her hot tongue.

Towering over her, the monster rewarded her with low groans of approval, obviously liking the sensations she was stirring within him. Still, after a few moments, his brow furrowed, and his grunts became louder and more forceful. As focused as she was on this new task, Diana didn't catch the fact that he was attempting to communicate with her until he took action.

Kal's large left hand suddenly reached down to take hold of first her right wrist and then her left, grabbing both her bracelets in his one grip. He wasn't moving quickly, but he was again applying a somewhat terse degree of strength as he handled her. Diana struggled a little, knowing that she needed to stay on him to keep him under control and not let him gain an advantage, but he was simply too strong. Lifting her wrists behind her head, the monster held her in a tight hold that she wasn't sure she could break even if she tried.

Keeping her from moving her arms, Kal's other hand tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck and drew her face toward his huge member. Staring up at his frustrated visage helplessly, Diana could tell what had happened. It seemed that the beast wasn't in the mood to be teased. He too was greatly enjoying these new sensations of touch which she was bestowing upon him. He wanted her, and he wanted her now.

"Kal?" she whispered with a twinge of trepidation. "Kal, I ..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the monster thrust his hips forward while her lips were parted. Knowing what he wanted, Diana opened up wider and let his thick tip slide into the back of her mouth.

He was so big. Diana couldn't believe his size. She wondered how many women could handle this much man. Well, she was a Wonder Woman, and she could rise to the challenge of handling any man.

Taking a deep breath through her nostrils, Diana relaxed a little, letting Kal slide deeper into her mouth. When she felt his bulbous tip hit the top of her throat, she gagged slightly, and it caused the advantageous reaction of producing more saliva to make his length slide more easily. The monster seemed to take more notice of her struggle, and he pulled his hips back until just his tip remained between her lips.

Diana took the short respite to get some air and catch her breath, but she quickly prepared herself, already knowing what was coming next. Still holding her hand and her wrists at his mercy with an iron grip, Kal slowly began to push forward again. This time, when Diana felt Kal hit the back of her mouth, she relaxed and eased forward toward him. With only a little resistance, Kal's massiveness slipped past her tongue and dove right down her throat.

Gods, it felt like he reached all the way down to her stomach. Her slender neck was full, bulging with his thickness so much so that veins protruded from her skin. She continued sliding forward until she felt her nose brush against his waist. Trying to adjust herself to better accommodate his manhood, she suddenly gagged hard. Kal felt Diana's throat muscles clench and tighten around himself buried deep in her neck, and he growled loudly at the wonderfully exquisite feel of it. Turned on by the manliness of his primal appreciative growl, Diana drew back a few inches and then slammed forward again. She let her throat clench hard on him once more as she purposely initiated her gag reflex, completely giving herself over to his pleasure.

Again, she saw immediate signs of her success. His grip on her loosened. The monster let go of her wrists, then he moved his hands to the sides of her hair and began to slide his fingers gently through her dark silken curls soothingly.

Now more confident of what she could do with his manhood, Diana looked up at Kal as she added her hands to further mesmerize him. Since he had given her control, she used one hand to stroke him as she sucked him in and out of her mouth while her other hand cupped and rubbed his large balls. Lewd sloppy wet sounds began to echo around them as she worked him.

"In my throat, Kal," she purred between strokes. "In my throat."

Diana watched Kal staring down at her while he continued petting her hair. Oh yes, she really had him under her control now. Watching his look of pleasure pain absorb his countenance, she studied his every movement and gesture as she fellated him.

His hands felt so good in her hair. As much as she adored this kind of soothing, she had been much more entranced by his handling her harshly. She was so angry at herself for being so incredibly turned on by Kal's taking control of her like that.

Yet, she took joy in knowing that he was just as equally enamored with her as she was with him. Kal seemed to have a fixation on her hair which bordered on being a full blown fetish. She liked it, and she decided she would encourage Kal's adoration of her long dark tresses.

Getting into the joy of what she could do, Diana gazed up at Kal with a bold sexy smile. She really got into working him, playfully alternating between licking, sucking and deep throating him. The monster Kal had become putty in her hands, with him sweating, slightly shaking and lost in desperate captivated need of her touch.

Inside the monster, Kal's mind was slowly being drawn back to conscious control by Diana. He was still unable to distinguish himself from his raw emotions, but he became a little more clear each time she touched him. The one and only thought he could process at the moment was that he finally had Diana of Themyscira right where he wanted her.

Oh yes, ever since he had first laid eyes on Diana across a crowded landscape, the gentlemanly Kal often thought of taking walks in the parks with her, flying with her, making her laugh, tickling her until she screamed with joy, and making slow sweet love to her until she cried out his name while swearing to him that she would never ever leave him.

However, on those lonely lustful nights in his deepest dreams, she was exactly where she was now, on her knees in front of him giving him the blow of his life.

This was why Kal was having such a hard time finding himself again. Although he didn't want to admit it, he and the monster were actually one and the same. The spell of the fairie had simply completely removed all his prior inhibitions, and for a man that had spent his entire life maintaining control, the release of being free and untamed was absolutely the most intoxicating spell ever.

Only Diana had the strength, power and stamina to bring him back. He wanted it to be her. The part of him which had always been madly in love with her from the first moment he saw her hoped that she wanted to be the woman to be there for him like this.

Thoughts like these were already bringing him back to himself. Still, he was reacting completely out of emotion with only minor flashes of actual thought. The intuition suddenly came to the monster that if he wanted this wondrous woman to stay with him, then he had to pleasure her the same way she was pleasuring him.

Moving with a firm grip, Kal took hold of Diana's shoulders and pulled her backward off of him. She looked up at him with a puzzled glare, knowing that he had been very much enjoying what she had been doing to him, and wondering why he would stop her before she could finish him. Kal quickly moved both his hands to wrap themselves in her long dark curls before pulling her upward while simultaneously leaning her backward. Kal wasn't holding back his strength. He was truly oh so powerful when he cut loose. Diana didn't try to resist him as he gently laid her down on the floor of the bedroom, instead keeping her hands on his chest to continue rubbing and soothing the beast. A heated shriek burst from her lips as he quickly chose to resume his passionate kissing, sucking and biting all along the skin of her neck, and Diana knew that in a million years or more she would never ever be able to get enough of it. However, this time he wasted no time in starting to kiss his way down her slim physique.

Diana felt herself losing control, and she knew that she had to get it back. Her hands pawed at his broad shoulders and wavy hair as she tried to pull him back up. Undaunted by her meager flailing, Kal comically again mistook her grabbing all over him as encouragement.

"Princess …," Kal growled.

"Kal … oh, Kal … wait …," Diana weakly protested.

Unable, and somewhat unwilling, to deter Kal as he licked his way over her belly, Diana felt more vulnerable and exposed than ever. As her hands shot down to try to cover her womanhood, the monster's left hand snatched hold of both her wrists and held them helplessly over her navel. As his deliciously thick lips moved down below her bellybutton, Diana struggled and squirmed underneath him. She wasn't able to move her wrists at all. As she tried to close her legs, she only managed to wrap her thighs around his wide shoulders.

Looking down to watch him, she noticed that he let his face hover over her center for a long moment, as if he was breathing in deeply of her womanly scent. Just as she opened her mouth to utter a denial, Kal dove in. Covering her center with his mouth, he started on her with a long wet succulent lick all the way from her perineum to her clit. Diana's back arched up high at this sensation, as the feel of Kal's tongue tasting her was exquisite beyond measure. There was no way that she was going to be able to withstand this. Soon she would lose all control.

Despite how good he felt, Diana tried hard to wiggle her hips away from his enticing lips. Finally noticing some resistance from her, the mindless monster Kal seemed to enact a plan of his own. Positioning his face firmly between her thighs, he set his lips directly over her clit … and sent his tongue into super speed.

Suddenly, Diana's torso jolted upright as she screamed his name at the top of her voice.

"Kalll!"

It felt like a thunderous bolt of sizzling electric lightning had just shocked right through every single nerve. Her entire body clenched, locked and tensed while simultaneously shaking almost violently. A torrent of her feminine juices squirted out of her in an explosive burst, and Kal pulled her more forcefully onto his mouth as he drank her in, not missing a single drop. Sparking white hot stars glowed behind her eyelids as she instantly became dizzy and lightheaded. The effect was so startling to her system that she was certain she would have levitated off the ground if Kal's right hand hadn't been fastened on to her left hip holding her down.

All strength left Diana's body, so did her coherence, and she was only barely conscious as she went limp to fall back onto the floor underneath her. She was delirious, and she actually couldn't tell whether or not Kal had made her lose consciousness. However, the one thing she was sure of, as her eyes started to flutter open, was that she was would never get enough of the now familiar feel of Kal eating her out.

"Kal? Kal-El?" Diana whispered incoherently, not able to recall her own name but easily able to remember his. "Kal?"

Trying to regain some sense of her surroundings, Diana took in her situation. Kal must have relinquished his hold on her wrists at some point, probably once she had stopped struggling, because her arms had fallen upward to lay limply above her head in her ecstasy. She could feel both his hands on her hips holding her waist up off the ground. Her right leg had been hooked over his broad left shoulder while her left leg hung loosely over his muscular right forearm.

Forcing her head up to gaze down at him, Diana looked at Kal as he was still kneeling between her legs with his mouth all over the opening of her body. His eyes were closed as he sat contentedly. Her juices had spilled over his lips to leak and drip from his chin, and he was drinking from her sloppy wet slit hungrily. He was sitting there pussyfeeding on her, drinking from her soaking hole as if her cum was the very fountain of the nectar of the gods. It was surreal how sated and calm he seemed to have become as he drank her. Just the sight of it was almost enough to set off another round of fireworks inside her.

She had to move. Mustering more strength than it seemed she had needed in her last fight with her nemesis The Cheetah, Diana threw her leg off his shoulder and slowly rolled away from him. Still seated on the floor of the bedroom, she raised herself up with her hands braced behind her and stared at him. Kal gazed at her with a puzzled look, as if wondering why she had run away from him when he had undoubtedly been pleasuring her so.

For a comical moment, Diana looked away up at the ceiling, wondering the same thing herself.

Then, she gathered herself, remembering that she was in the midst of taming this savage beast. Just as this very thought crossed her mind, Kal seemed to return to full beast mode. Staring at her intently, his eyes narrowed to thin predatory slits which sent warm chills down her spine.

"Mine," the monster Kal breathed in a low growl.

This time, it was Kal's turn to crawl. With an intense stare, he placed his hands on the floor in front of him and began to make his way over toward her, almost the epitome of the animal stalking his catch. Despite her vaunted courage, Diana found herself backing away from him. Still sitting up, she slowly began to move backward, her hands behind her as her feet pushed her some distance away from him. She didn't move quickly, hoping not to incite him. It was almost a sexy sensual slow motion standoff.

Glancing over at the door in the far distance, she could only imagine the bizarre picture the two of them must present in their current state. She, with her large breasts heaving with hardened wanton erect nipples, her center dripping wet and her own juices glistening from her inner thighs. He, with his massive weapon of an extension hanging menacingly from his waist, covered and dripping with her own saliva. Just the thought of having him inside her again drew a searing surge of womanly heat through every pore of her skin. She remembered how her body had reacted when he had impaled her with that massive tool, triggering orgasm after orgasm. The amount of her honey nectar wetness coating her pubis and thighs was almost obscene. Diana had never been more worried … or excited … in her life.

Perhaps she could put some distance between them and turn this seduction into a chase. Diana braced her arms and prepared to take off.

Too late. In the blink of an eye, the monster was on her. His heavy body suddenly had her pinned. He had again swiftly caught both her wrists in his right hand and slammed them onto the floor above her head before she could react. Kal's speed was mind boggling. He had positioned himself between her legs before she had a chance to close them. His left hand roughly snatched hold of her hip and lifted her bottom up, positioning her soaking entrance perfectly against the head of his hardened manhood. Her legs hung helplessly against his muscular thighs.

"Mine," the monster growled.

Despite her being the most vaunted woman warrior in the universe, Diana felt herself tremble. With all the battles and wars she had been through, she was still a young woman able to feel feminine fear in this moment. Panting, sweating, shaking, helpless, her large breasts heaving breathlessly, she stared up at him, waiting for the moment of being completely taken.

"Queeennn?" the monster breathed in a low growl.

"My … My King," Diana surrendered in trembling submission to him.

Then, with a disparate groan, the beast Kal leaned backward, lessening the pressure of his body on top of her. Moving both his hands to take hold of her waist, he rolled over onto his back, keeping Diana on top of him so that she straddled him once they settled. With her hands free, Diana put her fingers on his chest to steady herself as Kal growled up at her in a low groan.

By the gods, he was letting her direct them. He … He could have just taken her, but the monster chose to let her have the control. In her relief, she wanted to reach down and kiss him. Still, he wasn't letting her go, and she knew from earlier that his patience was thin.

"Nowwww," he ordered.

Taking a breath, Diana reached down and grasped hold of his huge rod. Moving her wet hole over his head, adding the slickness of her soaking wet center to her saliva still dripping from his member. Letting her weight drop, she felt his steel tip push inside her. She uttered a shrill moan as she felt him enter her again, and her head fell forward causing her long curly hair to drop down and frame her face. He was so large and she was so tight. She craved to have more of him. With her whole body starting to shake, Diana raised up slightly, then lowered back down, taking half of his immense length inside her. Her mouth fell open as she squeezed her eyes shut.

Under her, Kal laid his head back against the floor under him. Feeling Diana's insides again was exactly what he had been craving. The way that her super tight tunnel squeezed him was exquisite.

Even though Diana was soaking wet and he was steel hard, the two of them had to push hard against one another until he bottomed out in her depths. Once again fully joined, the residual psychic bond which linked them through the elixir allowed them to instantly become overpowered by feeling their mutual desire for each other.

"Dianaaa," groaned Kal. "Myyy Queeennn."

"Kal-El," Diana moaned in response. "My … My King."

They were far too heated for more foreplay. Unleashed desire completely overtook them. Diana began slamming down onto Kal harshly, taking him in and out of her with extreme sexual vigor. He matched her thrust for thrust, lost in desperate need of her.

Diana was determined to tame him. Satiating him was the key to placating him. Giving in to their pleasure was her path to victory.

Diana felt his steel get even harder, wider and longer inside her, and she knew that she nearly had him. However, the way that his massiveness was reaching all the way to her lower depths had her own body rushing toward release. Diana felt herself becoming disoriented and lightheaded with dizzying pleasure, but she intended to make him give himself before her body lost itself, and thereby maintain her control over him.

She couldn't hold out. No woman could with Kal's thick member buried inside her up to her belly. Diana spiked, so hard that she bit her lip trying to keep from crying out in ecstacy.

To her joy, she did feel Kal erupt inside her simultaneously, her body having pulled him over the edge along with her.

Gods, her Kal really was The King.

Diana tried to recover quickly, but her body wouldn't let her. Her center just wouldn't stop cumming, the orgasm prolonged to the point that it seemed as if it would never end. Still shaking all over from her continuing climax, Diana threw her head back in a war cry trying to make it cease, her long sexy hair flying through the air before falling on Kal's chest as she then fell forward onto him, her cheeks laying on his broad manly pecs as she tried to steady herself. After another few moments of grinding on Kal mercilessly until the sweet pressure of her release had subsided, Diana had regained her senses enough to raise her head and look up at him.

She expected him to be sated, relaxed and worn out, his member satisfied and dilated.

He wasn't.

Kal was staring at her with intentful eyes, having loved the way she had just reacted to him.

And … he was absolutely still hard as steel.

Gods, he was The Man of Steel.

Diana's mouth fell open ...

Kal grinned ...

Oh uh oh ...

Yes, he loved to make her feel the way she had just felt. He was going to do it again. And again.

Snatching her by her waist, Kal quickly flipped Diana over so she was under him. Comically, Diana flailed against him, loving the feel of his broad shoulders as she clawed at him.

"Kal … gods, Kal … love, let me …"

Then, Kal pulled his hips back until just his thick tip was spreading open her wet folds, then he rammed home.

Diana's back arched up as he made her spike again. This time, Kal used one hand to lift up his hips and hold her pinned against him. All Diana could do was hold on to his chest as he forcefully held her in place shaking violently against him in her orgasm. Then, he reached his other hand under her to the center to pull her torso up to him.

Remembering the motions of how Diana had just taught him to kiss, the monster Kal pressed his lips to hers in an open mouthed embrace which took her breath away.

Okay. That was it. He was trying to kill her. He was literally trying to kill her with love. Kal was sexing her, adoring her and loving her all at the same time. This was a battle, and it was time to fight back. Forcing herself to break their enticing kiss, Diana pushed at Kal's shoulders until he allowed her to get upright so she was sitting in his lap.

She couldn't wait for her orgasm to end. Even though the sheer ecstasy made it hard for her to think, she had to retaliate. As she repositioned them, Diana could feel her own juices still spilling out to coat his length as her folds quivered and tightened all over him.

"You're such a … man," Diana said huskily.

Using her warrior agility, Diana braced on her high heels and began to ride Kal like a lady bull which had just seen red. Still bonded in the elixir, pure desire was threatening to overtake bodies almost seemed to be taking on minds of their own.

Face to face, body to body, soul to soul … she and the monster battled.

Hours later, they were still going at it. Becoming totally entranced and enthralled in one another, time lost all meaning to the two of them. They went through various positions, styles and tempos, completely loving every way they could embrace together. The two of them had practically abused each other in their mutual pleasure. Now past the point of exhaustion, they still simply couldn't stop. He couldn't get enough. Neither could she.

The monster Kal had become immensely frustrated. Diana's body had more than satisfied his cravings, with his manhood staying steel hard through two masculine climaxes, but he avidly desired one more release. He was determined to get it.

Diana felt almost weightless and lightheaded. All of the fight had been sexed out of her, and she was now just a mass of serenely satisfied flesh. Too many orgasms to count, too much new sensation, too deep their union and joining. Absolutely helpless at Kal's mercy, she had no resistance left at all.

Kal had Diana under him with her legs bent over backward, her ankles resting on his shoulders and her heels rocking against his hair. Her hands stayed locked behind his neck to steady her as he pummeled into her while his hands caressed her hips so that he could slam harder into her depths. With both of them completely exasperated, they looked as if they had just been through a war with each other.

Suddenly, Kal leaned back and yanked his engorged member out of Diana's throbbing core. She let out a loud sharp gasp at the loss of him, her body now feeling devoid and empty without him filling her. The only thought her nearly incoherent mind could process was that she had to have him inside her again.

"I … I'm not … through with you yet," moaned Diana.

Just as she gave voice to her desperate need, Kal snatched her by her hips and quickly flipped her over onto her knees in front of him. His left hand took hold of her slim sexy hip, tilting her sweet feminine ass upward, poised for his delicacy. Before she could even process what he was doing, Kal scooted himself forward preparing to ride her, taking his steel in his right hand and positioning his tip at her thin tightest opening.

"Yes, gods, yes," Diana said quickly, squirming backward into him.

Knowing what he desired, and wanting to give it to him, Diana reached behind her to help position him. Moving together in sync as always, he pushed forward while she shoved back, and they slid the large round head of his massive rod into Diana's tightness. They didn't stop until his hips met her butt with him firmly embedded up to the hilt.

This new sensation was overwhelming for both of them, and Kal slumped down to drape his large frame over Diana. She reached a hand up to snatch hold of the back of his neck and pull him to her, kissing his lips hungrily. She gasped as his hips pulled out and then pushed back inside her, and she kissed him even more deeply.

When the feelings overtook them, Diana couldn't hold his lips any longer, and she slumped forward. White lights sparked behind her eyes, and she squeezed them shut at the shocking of her nervous system. Kal growled loudly, himself too becoming overwhelmed. Taking the princess of the amazons like this was a feral pleasure better than anything he could have imagined. Oh yes, Kal had dreamed of this on many countless nights, but the reality was far far better. Nothing would keep him from having all of her.

His thick rod was still coated with Diana's sweet slick viscous juices, and the wetness allowed him to penetrate her virgin hole despite the resistance of her body. Her essence was dripping from his large balls now as her tight opening squeezed off some of the moisture. It facilitated and eased his entrance.

"Mine," growled the mindless Kal.

Taking a firm hold of her hips in both his hands, Kal lifted Diana's waist up high. Pulling his hips back, he drew his shaft out until just his head was forcing her open. Then, with a strong forceful push, Kal shoved his entire thick steel back deep into her orifice.

Feeling like Kal's monster rod was buried in her spleen, Diana went limp from the shock of it. Her chest fell down onto the floor, leaving her butt up in the air at his mercy. To her minor relief, Kal didn't move, keeping himself sheathed in the depths of her stomach and loving the sensation of her muscles grabbing and gripping at him.

In seconds, the tension began to morph into a new kind of pleasure for Diana, and her body again shocked her with its reaction. It was as if she felt something suddenly starting to tighten, like a fist deep inside her stomach, and then the strange pressure moved down to within her center. Then, her muscles suddenly clenched and contracted, and Diana's hands gripped the pliable floor beneath her even harder, causing small fissures to break open underneath her fingers.

She squirted. Hard. Her womanhood let loose a torrent of spray, the climax rushing out of her. Despite her strength, Diana gasped and squeezed her eyes closed at the near painful orgasm. She had released so many times over the last several hours with him that she couldn't believe he had somehow found this fountain of moisture from somewhere inside her. The tightening of her release made her body clench so hard that she instinctively began to squirm and undulate around him.

Kal growled loudly, loving his woman's pleasure. He watched her coat the floor between her legs under her. He wanted more out of her, and he was going to get it.

Just as her torrent was thinning to a trickle, Kal pulled back and then surged forward again, making a loud sound as he sexily smacked Diana's hips.

Another spray shot out of her.

"By … the … gods …"

Diana's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe what was happening. She hadn't known it was even possible to keep cumming like this. Her entire body was shaking almost violently, all motor control having completely left her.

Her entire torso jarred harshly with every powerful impact of his strong hips slapping against the soft skin of her butt. Diana's long curly hair bounced loose to hang over her face mussed and sexy, totally consumed in the ravishing she was having bestowed upon her.

Feeling his desperately needed third release finally building toward its heated crescendo, Kal began to grunt hard with every collision of their hips while Diana constantly moaned passionately. Invigorated by the intensity of his desire, she began to thrust back against him in sync with his slamming forward. The resulting concussive impact of their hips sent shockwaves shaking the distortion absorbing walls around them.

"Don't stop, Kal," she urged, feeling him near to his end. "Right there. That's it."

As he finally exploded deep inside Diana, Kal hollered loudly as her body instinctively continually clenched and squeezed him like a vice milking him dry. Feeling his release triggering her final climax, Diana screamed in his victorious ecstasy, crying out as her juices burst out of her to bathe both their inner thighs. The two of them were completely bonded in every way, all their physical motions now aligned and in sync.

When Diana felt the weight of Kal draping himself over her back, her limbs completely gave out on her. She started to collapse down onto the floor underneath them. Still buried deep inside her stomach, Kal fell with her. Diana couldn't hold back a loud moan as their laying down jarred his still rigid member even more impossibly deeper inside her.

Then, she moaned even more loudly when Kal slowly pulled himself out of her as he fell down onto his back on the floor beside her. The battle was over. Kal and Diana were both down for the count.

As the normal crystal blue of Kal's eyes began to slowly show through the haze of the white clouds, Diana couldn't resist leaning over to kiss him. He returned her kiss gently. They were still kissing as they both passed out ...


	20. chapter nineteen

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Dawn

A short time later, as the sun began to shine over the horizon, a constant breeze over the kingdom blew strong winds against the outside surface of the fortress.

Inside the primary bedroom, Diana's eyes fluttered as she began to awaken. Laying with her head on what she was certain must be the best pillow in the universe, the simultaneously soft and hard chest of Kal-El of Krypton, a soft smile graced her face as an involuntary purr of sated contentment slipped out of her. Before she had realized what she was doing, Diana snuggled herself even more deeply into Kal.

Then, her mind remembered the events of last night with him under the influence of the fairie, and her head snapped up to look at his face. At the moment that she moved, Diana gasped sharply as a strange but now familiar sensation assaulted her senses.

She realized that her body was straddling Kal, and at some point he must have taken off his cape and draped it over her. The majestic and comfortable garment felt good against the naked skin of her back as it slid from her shoulders to pool around her waist.

What startled her was the fact that his massive log of manhood was still buried firmly in the depths of her stomach. Diana's mouth fell open as she felt it, and her body began to respond to her man instantly. A light sheen of sweat immediately broke out all over her body, and it gave her skin a slight sensual glow.

Now completely free of the fairie, Kal opened his eyes to the beautiful visage of his glowing goddess joined with him atop his body. He stared up at her with soft loving eyes. Kal didn't think he'd seen a more awe inspiring sight in his life.

With her incredibly gorgeous bed head hair slung sexily over her shoulders to hang down her back, her womanly voluptuous breasts swaying softly in front of his lips, and her lovely eyes full of adoration for him, he knew that there was no longer any part of his heart which did not belong to her.

"Kal? Are you okay? How do you feel?" Diana asked quickly, running her words together in her concern for him as she placed her right hand on his cheek with tender care, keeping her other hand on his broad chest to steady her from the intense latent sensations of sitting atop his manhood.

"Diana? Oh, Diana," Kal said quickly, his memory now filtering back to him. "What happened between us," he whispered with intense sorrow. "I want you to know ... I didn't mean ... I couldn't control ..."

As he spoke, Diana stared down at him in silence with a tender sweetness in her eyes. Before he could continue, she raised her right hand and placed a single finger over his lips to quiet him. Kal acquiesced to her, not moving a muscle as he gazed up at her waiting patiently.

Then, to Kal's surprise, Diana slowly and purposefully slid her finger between his lips. His eyes widened at her gesture, and he watched her lovely visage darken with what could only be deep desire. As his tongue involuntarily licked at her finely manicured fingernail, his own eyes couldn't help but narrow to sultry slits.

Diana decided that she would finish conveying her feelings to Kal. Words were unnecessary. Actions spoke louder.

Placing her other hand firmly in the center of his broad chest, Diana rose her hips up, immediately highlighting the enticing friction of their still joined bodies. Kal groaned, savoring the delicious feel of her exquisite physique for what he assumed would be the final time. Raising up until just his large head was barely touching her silken folds already wet again for him, Diana then succulently let her hips slide back down onto him, taking all of his extending length deep inside her.

Both of their heads fell forward at the immense pleasure of the overwhelming sensation of each other. Their hearts began to pound, blood was racing, and a light sheen of perspiration covered them. Diana let herself fall forward and laid her forehead against his own. Her hands held onto his cheeks as she closed her eyes and tried to steady herself. Kal's hands held onto Diana's soft shapely waist, trying not to lose himself in her pleasure.

Having him right where she wanted him, Diana started to move up and down, taking him in and out of her, settling them into a slow gentle loving rhythm. She felt him grow longer and harder inside her depths, and he could feel her becoming more wet as her slickness began to coat his length. Despite their slow movement, the two of them were breathless and panting in just mere seconds in their endless passion for one another.

"Diana…," Kal tried to speak.

"Kal..,." Diana forced out in a strained whisper.

"I ... I ..." he tried again, barely able to think, much less form coherent words amidst the onslaught of her body riding him.

"Did ... Did you mean ... the words you said to me?" she asked in a meaningful whisper.

He hesitated for a long moment, his love addled mind recalling every single sound he had uttered last night. He remembered everything he'd said to her. He knew exactly what she was asking.

"Every word," he answered truthfully. "I ... I've made my choice, Diana. My search is over. What would you say … if I asked?"

"Kal, I ... I ...," she forced out, his words triggering the most intense climax she had ever felt, her body shattering along with her heart.

Her knees gave out from the strength of her orgasm, and she laid her body down flush onto him. The spasming, clenching and squeezing of her tight tunnel all over his length quickly pulled him over the edge with her, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head with the intensity of it. Coming down from their high, they held one another close.

Diana didn't try to answer again. She needed time to think. Kal understood that.

After last night, their inner feelings had been laid bare to one another, and nothing was going to change how they felt about each other.

This unquenchable passion between them would never be extinguished, and could only ever be momentarily satiated, leaving them lost in the euphoric bliss of one another.

Together, Kal and Diana had defeated the well planned assault. With this new love blossoming between them, they felt as if they could lay this way forever. However, it was now time to return to the kingdom ...


	21. chapter twenty

Kingdom of Krypton

Southern Province

Dawn

Injustice. Indignity. Insanity.

As she looked out over the horizon of the kingdom leading to the distant shore and ocean beyond, Zatanna tried to prepare for the last few moments of her life.

A life which was about to be stolen from her by the closest thing to Satan in human form walking the earth.

Lord Lex Luthor.

History repeats itself. Like the unjustified witch trials that had taken place not too long ago in the province of Salem, during which Zatanna had witnessed her mother burned alive along with several other wrongfully accused women, she now found herself in the exact same situation.

Tied to a suspended tree post in the raised platform center of the judgement hall, Zatanna watched as Luthor walked with a calm commanding stride up the stairway. He knew that all the eyes of the people of Krypton were on him as he took his time. Leaning over close to Zatanna, Luthor whispered to her with a smug grin of evil.

"You've had a night to think about your predicament, Zatanna," he said. "You know how this is going to end if you deny me. Are you ready to acknowledge me as your new king?"

"Why … Why are you doing this?" she asked, hating the sound of weakness and desperation in her own voice. "Why this fake trial? Why these false accusations? Why are you killing me?"

"Surely you've figured it out by now," smiled Luthor, leaning closer to make certain only the two of them could hear their words. "You and I both know that you weren't behind any of the attacks, but since they involved sorcery, you're the perfect scapegoat. By executing judgment on you, I'm consolidating my power over the people. Like lambs to the slaughter, they'll follow me blindly. I'm going to make an example of you. Renounce King Kal-El publicly, and join me, or burn like your ancestors."

"I'll never renounce King Kal-El, Luthor, not for you or anyone else. He is my king, my lord and my master."

"As you burn, think of the fact that you couldn't add saviour to that list," Luthor said with venom in his voice as he gritted his teeth in seething rage.

"Shall we, Boss?" asked Lobo in a loud voice for the crowd.

Luthor looked over to where Deathstroke, Lobo and several key members from each of their tribes stood, the others having arrived conspicuously timed after the incapacitation of King Kal-El.

"Let it burn," he said.

At his command, Lobo calmly and cooly took his cigar out of his mouth and flicked it toward the highly flammable brush material placed in a pit several feet below Zatanna. The cigar seemed to fly through the air in slow motion. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she closed her eyes. At the same time as a blazing furnace roared to life underneath her, the post holding Zatanna released her rope ties, dropping her to her fate below.

Then, in mid air, her body stopped falling.

The flames beneath her instantly dissipated.

Opening one eye in an almost comical gesture, Zatanna looked down.

Someone was holding her up in the air.

"I've got you," a man's voice said.

"You've got me! Who's got you?!" she shrieked.

And, looking up, Zatanna stopped cold.

The King had returned.

Zatanna was staring up into the eyes of King Kal-El.

"Saviour," she whispered quietly.

"Injustice must end!" King Kal-El shouted. "Stop this! We're better than this!"

The crowd was silent. All of the people, emissaries from distant lands, provinces and territories held quiet. They knew that a war for the very soul of this kingdom, and all the world, was taking place here.

"There must be judgement!" hollered Luthor. "Barbaric or not! You shouldn't even be here. How .. How have you returned?"

At his question, almost as if on cue, Diana slowly floated down by Kal-El's side. She took a hold of Zatanna's other arm to guide her to the ground as Kal landed to face Luthor.

Maxima, Kara and Karen all came rushing over to the edge of the platform along with several other crowd members now hurrying to get closer. Each of them noticed the new closeness between Kal and Diana in the way they were more comfortable standing each other's personal space, the tension around them needing to be sated and the camaraderie they were exuding. Something had happened between them. They were bonded now.

"I'm back now," King Kal-El said firmly. "Your rebellion will not succeed, Luthor. The lands shall be united."

"Maybe we'll just see about that, O Great King," Luthor whispered menacingly.

However, before the intense confrontation could be resolved, a slight tremor began to rumble continuously under the ground beneath the entire region. It was coming from the southern shore, and everyone turned to look just a swell of water average knee height suddenly broke through the tree line to start rolling through the kingdom. The people began to back away in fear.

Then, suddenly, the rumble turned into a thunderous roar. Shockingly, a massive tidal wave rose up higher than the tree line, quickly making its way inland from the shore. Its rising and movement were unnatural, and there had to be some force governing it.

"Citizens of Krypton, fall back to the safety of the city!" King Kal-El commanded loudly. "Justice League, protect the people! Everyone, stay behind me!"

With that, Kal took off flying directly toward the rising waters. As the oceans approached him, he saw several riders rise up out of the main wave. The appearance of the warriors was startling, as they seemed bruised and battered, their militant garments ripped and torn as if they had already been in battle. They were surfing on top of the water using some sort of advanced technology boards, but not as sophisticated as that of Krypton.

In the lead, a particularly large muscular bearded man was the forerunner. He had long hair down his shoulders, bronze battle armor covering his torso … and pure hatred in his eyes.

"Death to Krypton!" he hollered in a war cry.

"Halt! Who are you?" called King Kal-El. "We do not wish to harm you!"

Wielding a large sharp trident, the bearded man lunged off his board toward King Kal-El. The two combatants soared directly toward one another. The bearded man swung a stabbing strike directly at Kal's chest. With incredible speed, Kal slipped to the side, took hold of the trident, and kicked the man in the center of his chest to send him crashing to the ground flat on his back.

Hovering in the air, Kal held up the man's trident … and powerfully broke it over his knee.

"For our people!" yelled a red haired woman emerging from the tidal wave.

Turning back toward the deluge, King Kal-El focused his strength, then he blew his force breath outward, freezing the bulk of the tidal wave before it could impact the kingdom. The riders within the wave sprung forth quickly before they could be encased in the frozen cold, revealing a sizable military platoon charging forward. With the bearded man put down for the moment, the woman took lead.

She soared toward Kal menacingly, her fingernails outstretched toward his neck. Kal didn't like hurting women, but if she were part of an attack upon his people, he would have to stop her. He prepared to defend himself.

"I'll bury you under the sea, King of Krypton!" she screeched.

"No … you … won't!" hollered Diana, flying forward to punch the woman square on the jaw and send her flying backward into the iced wave.

"Diana!" Kal called in surprise.

"You may be the most powerful of us, Kal, but you needn't stand alone! Justice League! On my lead!"

At her command, Victor, Mari, Kara, Karen and Zatanna surged forward to counter attack the marauders while Bruce, Selina, Barry and Hal formed a barrier to protect the retreating citizens.

Some of the edge waters still crashed into either side of the outer layers of the city, smashing into some buildings and structures. A loud deafening cry arose from the crowds as the people ran for safety and cover. The members of The League quickly used their amazing abilities to contain the chaos and keep the civilians from harm while fending off the attackers.

"You can die with them, Amazon," cried the red haired woman as she dove headlong into Diana, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

As Diana kicked the woman off of her, she took a gauge of her strength. The female warrior had a good degree of power, but she was no match for Diana. However, Diana had underestimated her prowess. The woman had landed their tumbling bodies exactly where she'd intended, and she was within reach of the two halves of the broken trident.

Snatching up the two pieces, the woman tossed the three bladed edge to her consort and then began to swing a downward strike toward Diana's head. With lightning speed, Diana unsheathed her sword and deflected the strike with a side parry. The woman made a skilled spin and counter swing, and when Diana blocked it, the two women stared heatedly at one another through crossed weapons.

Several feet away, the bearded man caught the shortened trident and swung it at King Kal-El as hard as he could. Kal caught the blade with one hand, and palm struck the man with the other, sending him careening backward.

"What is the meaning of this attack? What are you doing?" Kal demanded. "Who are you?"

"You know exactly who we are," the man growled in response. "You attacked us first. You decimated my people. Now, I'm going to destroy your kingdom, even if it's with my last breath."

"I've ordained no attack on you or your people," began Kal.

However, he was interrupted as the bearded man hollered loudly and started swinging and stabbing at Kal maniacally. Kal stayed one step ahead of the strikes, but the man's haphazard loss of control caught his attention. Whatever had happened, the man had been so traumatized as to care nothing for his own safety, but only revenge.

Around them, The Justice League battled valiantly against the aquatic attackers. Although it was evident that they were once a structured and well trained combat force, the aquatic warriors now fought like wild madmen. With the various powers at their disposal, the members of The League were putting them down quickly.

Watching her comrades fall around her as she battled against Diana, the red haired woman seemed to lose some of her resolve. She was torn between trying to help them and continuing her attack upon Diana. Staring at her intently, Diana could see the quality of heart within the woman, and she knew that she had to get to the bottom of this mystery.

With an upward flip, Diana flew over the woman, grabbed her by her shoulders, and swung her up and over to slam the redhead down on her shoulders. Putting her boot heel on her breasts to hold her down, Diana slid her sword blade onto the side of her neck. The woman stopped fighting.

"What quarrel do you have with Krypton?" Diana ordered. "Answer me!"

"Why is The Princess of The Amazons in The Kingdom of Krypton?" the woman shot back.

"How do you know of me?"

"I'm a watcher, Diana. I've seen some of your lone ventures off of the island. You've helped several people and saved many lives. I'm at peace with my passing on, for this world is truly fallen if you would join a kingdom which has committed such atrocity."

"Tell me what atrocity you speak of," ordered Diana.

"My city … My home … My people … were butchered because of this kingdom," the woman snarled as tears began to stream from the corners of her eyes. "Not only were they killed, but their bodies were turned into monstrosities! We sought to be a peaceful people. How could you do this to us?"

Diana stared down at her, and she saw truth in the depths of her eyes, but she also knew there was no way she could get through to her in the midst of her anger. Then, she looked over at Kal.

Her mind thought back to their first meeting. She remembered how he had gotten through to her. Kal truly was an inspiration of hope, even to her.

Moving her heel off of the woman, Diana stepped back and expertly flipped her sword, offering the handle. The redhead snatched the sword out of Diana's outstretched hand and snapped to her feet with surprising swiftness. However, facing Diana, she didn't raise it.

"Who are you?" asked Diana."Tell me quickly and together we can save your consort before he angers Kal-El. Help me get to the bottom of this."

"I am Mera, Queen to King Arthur of Atlantis," she said proudly. "Our home was decimated last night. It was Darkseid."

"The Darkseid army is also enemy to Krypton," Diana told her. "You say you know of my character. If you doubt Krypton, then trust me. I'll discover the truth of what happened to your people."

Mera hesitated, staring into Diana's eyes.

Having kept track of Diana's battle, Kal took particular notice as Diana gave her sword to her opponent. Thinking that Diana may be in danger, he decided to end his little foray with this leader.

As Arthur made another forceful stabbing lunge, Kal simply reached out and snatched him by the collar of his armor to toss him up into the air. Then, King Kal- El jumped, and swung a single punch to put Arthur down with a soaring knockout. He pulled back, so his fist wouldn't smash through Arthur's sternum but instead only incapacitate him.

Arthur crashed into the ground so hard that his body sunk several feet down into it. Never before in his life had he ever been hit that hard. His eyes rolled up into the back of his head as he struggled not to pass out from Kal's sheer concussive force. However, still groggy, he began to try to struggle up to his feet to fight.

Kal landed and stood over him in victory, but he admired Arthur's strength of will. Before Kal could make another move, Diana rushed to his side to place a hand on his chest to stand him down from combat. Kal acquiesced to his lady, intuiting that she must be on to something.

"Enemies are not enemies, and allies are not allies," she whispered.

"Justice League, stand down," said Kal, immediately understanding her meaning.

"Warriors of Atlantis, cease your attack," Mera called out to her people.

Around them, the already waning battle came to a halt. Mera rushed to Arthur's side as she spoke, with him stumbling to his feet, as he was still dazed from Kal's single punch. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he lost his balance. Beside him, Mera tried to catch him, but his weight had thrown her off balance also.

Kal grabbed Arthur's forearm … and caught him.

Kal lifted him back up to stand on his feet, and Arthur snapped to attention as he stared at Kal in shock. He couldn't fathom what kind of a murdering butcher king would console an enemy. It got his attention, but he still snatched his arm away as soon as Mera had him standing straight.

"Tell us what happened," Kal said firmly.

Arthur looked to Mera, and she nodded solemnly.

"Before … Before my chief city engineer … and lifelong best friend … got turned into some kind of winged demon creature, he used his last breath to trace the transmission that gave away our location to the Darkseid army," said Arthur. "It came from the center of this kingdom. From your fortress …"

The heart of the final mystery was beginning to unfold ...


	22. chapter twenty one

Kingdom of Krypton

The Fortress

Morning

With a contingent of people following him, King Kal-El stormed into his fortress. As the main doors opened, only the members of The League along with Arthur and Mera accompanied him into the outer foyer. Kal left the entrance open, letting his townspeople know that he intended to withhold no secrets from the congregation.

"Jor-El, run complete diagnostics," he ordered quickly.

"Diagnostic scan complete," Jor-El's voice responded after a few moments. "All systems nominal."

"Check for unauthorized system access."

"None."

"Was there a transmission sent out last night?"

"Yes."

At this answer, Arthur growled low in his throat and made a move toward Kal. Before he took a step, Mera held him back. Kal glanced at Arthur over his shoulder, and although Arthur wanted to take vengeance for his people, he knew that he was no match for Kal.

"Designate user identity," commanded Kal.

"User identity …"

There was a silent and tense pause which seemed long.

"... Queen Faora."

King Kal-El froze. Startled gasps and shocked grunts resounded in the silence. Only Arthur's angered snarl broke the quiet.

"What kind of trickery is this?" he asked, starting to raise his staff.

"Stand down, Arthur," Mera said comfortingly. "Queen Faora is dead. While keeping watch on this kingdom, I witnessed her funeral myself."

"What this confirms is that we have been infiltrated," said The Knight. "King Zod and Queen Faora were both murdered one year ago, and my security detail can affirm that there were no perimeter breaches last night. The real question in all of this is the timing."

"Yes," agreed Miss Selina. "Why here? Why now?"

"The here is simple enough. The technology of Krypton was needed to decipher the cloak of Atlantis and locate the city. However, this plan was obviously in the making for months if not years, from the fact that it traces all the way back to the loss of Queen Faora. Mera, you said that the Darkseid empire was somehow turning your people into creatures of some kind?"

"They looked like demons," she answered. "I've never seen anything so horrible."

"Zatanna," called Miss Selina. "Have you ever heard of spells like this?"

"There were aged master warlocks which practiced black magic like that, but they were of the most powerful order," answered Zatanna. "To my knowledge, none of those who knew of such arts still live."

"But why use this power against Atlantis now?" asked Selina.

"It would seem as if all the pieces were in place for a planned takeover," reasoned Bruce. "Except one: You, King Kal-El."

"Elaborate, Knight," ordered King Kal-El.

"Darkseid knows of your power, King Kal-El. Despite all his famed might and deadly force, he fears you. He is no doubt behind this subversive plot against you. However, the timing doesn't make sense, unless … the one thing which he and our enemies were not counting on was …"

"Of course," followed Selina. "Princess Diana."

"What do you mean?" Diana asked.

"Without you, King Kal would be either dead, controlled or incapacitated right now," explained The Knight. "There's no way they could have anticipated your entrance, power or influence. So, assuming that we had lost The King, what would be their next strategic objective?"

There was an intense pause as everyone thought to themselves, then King Kal-El raised his head.

"I'm sorry, Diana," he said.

"What?!" she exclaimed.

"Darkseid intends to form the largest army possible before he faces me. His intention was to create this mass before I was coherent enough to destroy it before he could get it fully formed. He has already converted those of Atlantis to his numbers, now he plans to add the citizens of another race to his war machine. If Miss Selina and The Knight's logic and reasoning are correct, then the next target would have to be …"

Before he could finish his sentence, a loud thunderous boom resounded which caused the very ground to rumble underneath their feet.

"Jor-El, what is the status of Themyscira?" Diana asked breathlessly.

"The island of Themyscira seems to be under assault. Fires rage over twenty six percent of the land mass. Smoke content has quickly risen to near lethal levels and …"

Diana didn't hear another word. She was already stomping toward the exit. Only Kal's grabbing her forearm halted her.

"I have to go, Kal," she said quickly.

"I know, Diana," he told her. "We're going with you."

In wide eyed surprise, Diana paused, staring at him along with everyone else surrounding him.

Then, with a firm pace, King Kal-El began to walk out of the fortress, heading down the main street, in the direction of the shore, speaking loudly as he moved.

"Citizens of Krypton, today, we are faced with the very gravest of challenges. This could be the very day The Book calls Armageddon, the end of all things. At this moment, a people face extinction. I think not to bring your focus to the fact that after they are attacked, our people would be next. No, I hope for our kingdom to think on a higher level."

As he walked through the streets with his entourage behind him, citizens on both sides formed into large crowds and kept pace with Their King, hanging on his every word.

"We should choose to help, not only for our survival, but because it is the right thing to do. Some may say, they are not of us, not our people. But, I say to you, if one is oppressed, all are oppressed."

Shouts of agreement, adulation and affirmation began to arise from the following congregation. They began to arm themselves, some having weaponry while many others simply picked up bladed farming tools. It was time to gear up.

"Every person has the potential, within themselves, to be a force for good. If tyranny is to cease, if order is to arise from chaos, then those who bring war must be stopped. We struggle not for victory, glory or mere triumph, but that there may be peace. For peace!"

"For peace!" the whole of Krypton burst into a powerful battle cry, a constant and continuing shout of unity.

With those words, King Kal-El lifted into the air with Princess Diana by his side, the two of them soaring toward Themyscira. Behind them, The Justice League followed, those who could fly taking to the air as the others on foot ran headlong toward the shore. And, behind them, the people of Krypton raced behind Their King. Some stumbled, some fell, but all raced to join The Son ...


	23. chapter twenty two

Isle of Themyscira

Royal Temple

Morning

The entire island seemed to be on fire.

As far as the eye could see, the waters of ocean expanse were roiling madly in torrential turmoil. It seemed as if the very atmosphere of the entire region was reflecting the chaos of the sudden war taking place within its broad borders. Large tendrils of dark smoke rose from huge fires spanning the entire circumference of the isle.

Despite the amazon race being one of the most highly regarded in battle prowess, their defenses had been quickly overpowered. They had found themselves almost in full retreat from the moment the sudden blitzkrieg style attack had hit them. The assault was so fast it seemed as if their security had been sabotaged.

Minor battles were still being waged in a few of the outlying areas, but the army of demonic winged creatures had somehow been able to cut right into the heart of the city. Most of the amazon populace were now clustered together in a mass scale desperate last stand at the capital.

What was left of the royal guard were protecting Queen Hippolyta as they retreated to the outer court of the royal palace. Blood poured from a gaping wound in her upper thigh, and young Donna stayed under the queen's arm to support her as they moved. Hippolyta has been hit by shrapnel in the initial outburst of battle, but her special guard had hurriedly drawn her to relative safety with practiced skill and efficiency. The small squad, with Artemis at the head and Hessia at the rear, fought valiantly against the growing hordes as they retreated, but time was quickly running out.

Around them, the demons were closing in. Their numbers were increasing, as fallen amazons were being turned into more enemy creatures. Soon, those which were left would simply be overwhelmed.

"I still don't understand how they got past our defenses so quickly," hollered Hessia, blocking two strikes simultaneously. "They were upon us before we even knew they were on the island."

"There's no time to figure that out now, Sister Hessia," yelled Artemis, cutting down two creatures with a single spear strike. "We need only keep swinging until they fall or we do."

"This isn't the end, Artemis," cried Donna. "This isn't our last stand."

"I fear that it may be just that, child," Hessia said quietly.

"Donna," Hippolyta called quietly. "I have one last request of you, a final directive from your queen."

"But …," Donna began.

"You must obey, little one," Hippolyta said intensely, placing her free hand on her cheek. "Find Diana. Tell her how we died. And most importantly, tell her that the two of you are all that's left of us, and you must carry on. You must …"

"No, I can't," Donna said before she realized it, shaking her hand off of her. "I … I won't leave my queen."

"Are you disobeying a direct order?" asked Hippolyta.

"I'll die by your side," Donna whispered firmly. "Princess Diana gave herself for me. I … I must prove myself worthy of her sacrifice."

Hippolyta smiled with tender eyes.

"If she won't leave to save herself, then we shall put her limited fighting skills to use," grinned Artemis. "Even her lack of size can be useful now."

"Limited?" growled little Donna, as the other three warrior women surrounding her shared a soft smile in the midst of battle. "Lack of size?"

"Then she'll stand with us in honor," said Queen Hippolyta.

"We need to see our enemy, if we're going to have a chance of killing him," said Artemis. "I'll draw him out."

"Wait, Artemis," Hessia urged. "Don't do this. We need a plan to take him down."

"Not if I kill him," Artemis said boldly as she stepped forward into the midst of the fray. "I shall relish this final challenge. Stay back and protect the others, Sister."

"Artemis!" hollered Hessia.

"Darkseid, destroyer of lands, show yourself!" Artemis called loudly. "I, General Artemis of Themyscira, challenge you! If you are the supreme being, prove it!"

The roar of battle continued for only a few more seconds, then the demons quickly began parting. The beleaguered amazons withdrew to gather themselves, weary from the prolonged struggle. As the demons looked down and bowed to their knees, two sets of thunderous footsteps approached.

"Challenge accepted, Amazon," a deep booming voice echoed.

Walking down the center of the parting between the demons lumbered a massive grey skinned figure covered in dark blue body armor. Beside him stood another smaller armored figure, also with grey skin, rippling muscles and a helmet of devil horns. The shorter beast carried a huge axe in his hand, wieding its indomitable weight with ease.

"I am Steppenwolf," said the smaller figure. "Just so you know, my father Darkseid dislikes challenges, woman."

"Let us test your mettle!" yelled Artemis.

"Your words have sealed your fate." The bass of Darkseid's mere voice seemed to chill the very air.

With a screeching war cry, Artemis skillfully lunged at Darkseid. With surprising speed, the massive brute slipped to the side and dodged her first strike, and then her second. Drawing another sword, Artemis swung a volley of rapid strikes directly at his head. Barely moving at all, Darkseid used his huge forearm guards to easily deflect her attacks. Spinning around, Artemis sent a precise roundhouse kick toward his jaw. The impact didn't even faze the beast in the least, and in response, he shoved his boot forward with a kick of his own.

Artemis was lifted off her feet and knocked backward through the air several yards. She slammed onto the ground and tumbled. Despite her right leg and all her ribs being broken just from Darkseid's one kick, she quickly struggled up to her feet. She didn't mind dying at all, she was just angry that the contest hadn't lasted longer.

"This one has heart," Steppenwolf snarled. "She'll be a great addition to our army. Fairie!"

At his call, the ethereal figure of a cloaked woman rose up out of the ground in front of Artemis, then quickly turned into a black cloud of smoke before any features were visible. Before Artemis could even move, the black smoke was on her. It swirled around quickly, first surrounding her body … and then moving through it.

"Let me help you," a feminine voice whispered. "I'll heal you, and give you a new body."

Artemis tried to resist what was happening, but it was no use. She was determined to use every effort of her will not to scream. Her body began to morph unnaturally, being reconstructed into a new corrupted form. The scream torn from her was horrific, guttural and terrifying. In seconds, the transformation was over. Another demonic form had joined Darkseid's growing army.

Hippolyta lowered her head. One of their greatest warriors had been lost.

Until now, Hessia and the other royal guards hadn't seen the transformations up close. It was far more terrifying than they had anticipated. The new Artemis turned and snarled at them menacingly.

"Sisters! Fall back!" screamed Hessia. "Don't let the smoke take any more of us!"

"Let us slay the queen," said Steppenwolf. "The rest will fall easily."

"Break their spirit," Darkseid agreed. "Finish them. Turn them. Then, we take Krypton."

Darkseid stepped forward, his glowing eyes discharging red beams upon the queen …

Hippolyta valiantly raised her sword against the onslaught which she knew would probably cut through it ...

The omega beams were seconds away from incinerating her ...


	24. chapter twenty three

Isle of Themyscira

Royal Temple

Morning

Just as the omega beams would have cut through Hippolyta …

They were deflected …

By a familiar pair of bracelets ...

The Wonder Woman had returned …

"Diana!" screamed little Donna.

After her magnificent deflection to save Queen Hippolyta, Diana was knocked sideways by the immense power of Darkseid's omega beams, the sheer strength of them sending her careening toward the temple wall ...

But before she crashed into it, her body stopped …

A pair of all powerful, yet tender, hands held her ...

Kal had caught her.

"Kryptonian!" bellowed Darkseid, stepping forward with an intense scowl.

"Your evil reign ends here, Darkseid!" called King Kal-El, hovering forward.

The two most powerful beings on the planet faced each other in the confrontation which had been inevitable.

"We were not yet supposed to meet, but no matter," growled Darkseid. "You will serve or perish."

"No more oppression, Dark One."

Darkseid and Steppenwolf began to run toward King Kal-El. Without hesitation, King Kal-El started to soar toward them, until Diana's hand on his forearm stopped him.

"You needn't battle alone, Kal," she told him.

"Then … this is a job for us."

Side by side, Kal and Diana soared forward. The battle of the titans began in earnest.

Having less muscle mass than their counterparts, Diana and Steppenwolf met and clashed first. His mighty axe clashed against her long blade, both of them hollering from the impact of their collision. Beside them, King Kal-El and Darkseid both smashed their fists into the chest of the other. The result was explosive. A shockwave of concussive force cascaded outward from them, the strength and power of the two combatants affecting everything around them.

The wave flattened the battlefield, knocking everyone on both sides down to the ground. Combatants were thrown apart, saving the lives of many, and providing a brief respite from the pitched heated struggle. All of them took the few moments to regroup and gather themselves. Even Diana and Steppenwolf were knocked backward from the clash of Kal and Darkseid, spinning through the air for several moments.

Kal flew backward and landed on one knee, his cape flowing majestically behind him in the wind. Darkseid was knocked flat on his back, hollering with rage. The two opponents prepared to face off again.

Around them, the armies cleared a space. It was obvious that, with their power, anyone too close to them wouldn't stand a chance.

Kal's strength had turned the tide of battle. While both the amazons and the demons were knocked asunder, The Justice League surged onto the battlefield. Their primary task was to protect the amazon survivors, and in doing so, they strategically began to form a defensive perimeter around them.

Following the leadership of King Kal-El, citizens of Krypton and visiting members from the tribal guilds joined in the battle. They weren't skilled warriors, but they at least forced the demons to divide their attack. Lives were saved as they covered each other, protected others, and stood against the tyranny of the Darkseid Empire.

As the surrounding conflict intensified, the central battle, which would determine the ultimate outcome, raged on.

"Cut the woman in half, father," snarled Steppenwolf. "Force The Kryptonian to fight alone, as we'd planned, and we'll take him."

"As we planned, my son," grinned Darkseid, his eyes glowing with red power as he prepared to loose his omega beams once again.

Diana paused. She saw an opportunity. An opportunity for victory. But, she would have to swallow her amazon pride. She had already trusted Kal-El with her body. Now, she would have to trust him with her life. Hovering above him, Diana gazed down at him with an intense stare.

As Kal looked up at her, their eyes met. All the events which had transpired between them had prepared them for this very moment. They knew each other so well that they only spoke a single word.

"Together," whispered Diana.

"Together," followed Kal.

Then, Diana soared directly at Darkseid, making herself an opportune target. Raising his huge axe, Steppenwolf jumped toward Kal. However, as soon as Darkseid fired his omega beams, Kal moved into superspeed. He shot over behind Diana, grabbing her around her waist to reinforce her and then shot forward. With Kal bracing her firmly, Diana concentrated on the deadly beams coming at her, focusing on hitting them at just the right angle.

As the deadly omega beams slammed into Diana's bracelets, their power could have once again knocked her backward wildly out of control, but Kal's arms around her hips held her steady. His strength allowed her to focus ...

Together, Diana and Kal reflected the omega beams … back into Darkseid's own eyes.

The Dark Lord howled in painful anger, his holler echoing across the entire landscape.

Then, to everyone's surprise … the mighty Darkseid … dropped to his knees.

He was blinded.

Quickly spinning around, Kal and Diana caught sight of Steppenwolf, having turned to swing his mighty axe down at them. Still in perfect sync with each other, Kal blew his breath onto it, freezing it all the way down to the handle, while Diana simultaneously drew her sword and aimed her edge directly under the blade of the axe. With the axe now frozen, it shattered to pieces as Diana's blade cut clean through it. Flying past Diana, Kal swung a punch to Steppenwolf's face which broke his jaw and sent him falling downward.

Steppenwolf landed by his father's side, flat on his back, staring at the pieces of his once seemingly indestructible axe falling to the ground all around him.

"Nooo!" hollered Steppenwolf, stunned by the destruction of his most trusted weapon.

Surveying their battle disposition, Steppenwolf knew he and his father needed time to recuperate. They needed a distraction.

"Faerie," he croaked weakly. "The time for revelation has come."

At his command, the ethereal black smoke quickly rose up out of the ground in front of Darkseid and Steppenwolf, this time slowly congealing into a complete feminine form. "Hello again, My Sweet King," the seductive voice of the faerie called to King Kal-El. "I'm sure you remember me. I certainly remember you." As she spoke, her body became more visceral, the smoke forming into voluptuous womanhood, first the familiar cloaked figure which Kal and Diana had encountered in the citadel, next an exact likeness of Diana, letting the cloak slip from her shoulders. "I still carry the taste of you on my tongue."

Then, the faerie revealed her true form, morphing into a well known red haired warrior woman.

"Circe!" hollered Hessia.

"Empress!" yelled Hippolyta. "How could you betray us like this?"

"I did what I had to do, Hippolyta. As I am now!" answered Circe, jumping toward the Queen.

In mid air, she swept her arms in a patterned mystical spell, conjuring two fiery whips to protrude from her hands. With expert skill, she swung them down toward the queen.

"Why?" Hippolyta pressed, pushing little Donna out of the way and raising her sword to try to block the fiery whips.

Before the whips could cut through Hippolyta, Diana was there. She swept her sword in a skilled circular swing, wrapping the deadly extremities around her blade instead of allowing them to slice into her mother.

"Because of your daughter!" screamed Circe, landing to face off against Diana, standing between she and Hippolyta. "She is the reason for all of this!"

Diana was caught off guard by her admission, and Circe took advantage. With Diana off balance, Circe gave her whips a hard twisting yank which threw Diana off her feet and sent her turnbling through the air.

Moving in quickly, Kara flung herself at Circe. Recognizing her childishness, The Empress easily sidestepped her attempted attack and extended a whip which wrapped all the way around Kara's body. Kara screamed in excruciating pain, but it quickly became a hoarse croak as her physical body was suddenly drained to an emaciated husk. Using her strength, Karen grabbed the whip holding Kara and tried to snap it. Already anticipating Karen's response as the master strategist she was, Circe took the opportunity to wrap a whip around Karen and drain her essence as well. The master sorceress grew stronger from the essence of both women.

His plan to have Circe take over the attack having worked, Steppenwolf followed up. He knew that if they held time, his father Darkseid would recover and rejoin the battle to put down all resistance.

Steppenwolf charged toward King Kal-El, swinging wildly, unaccustomed to combat without his axe. Kal countered, the two of them slashing past each other like jousting riders.

Flipping back to defend the two Kryptonian women, Diana used her sword to cut the ropes holding them. Circe recovered quickly and wrapped them around Diana's blade once again, but Diana held her stance this time. It was a standoff.

"What have I ever done to you, Empress?" Diana asked forcefully.

"Your future was to be our demise, young Princess," spat Circe. "You were going to ruin our entire way of life. Your mother and the others never knew of your excursions off the island … helping tribes of women, yes, but men also. I watched you from the shadows. You always chose to fight for those which could not fight for themselves. In time, you would have led Themyscira back into the world in unity. I will never … ever … allow this."

"How could you be so certain?" questioned Diana, now circling Circe as they grappled. "My mother The Queen had not yet ordained such."

"Ah, yes, a mother's love for her child," answered The Empress as she glared over at Queen Hippolyta. "Oh, she hadn't yet, but she would have. It was in her eyes. The years of loving her strong willed daughter would have worn her down, and she would have given in."

"So this is your alternative, Circe?" Hippolyta asked stepping forward angrily, until Donna held her back. "To see us defeated at the hands of men?"

"No, foolish Queen. We join with those which will conquer this world, then when the time comes, we take our rule over it," answered Circe, casting a secretive glare over at the incapacitated Darkseid, knowing that she planned to slay him at her first clear opportunity. "With King Kal-El as my consort, nothing shall defeat me."

"Nooo!" came an anguished cry from beside Diana and Circe.

Leaping toward the two women, Lady Maxima used her broadsword to split their weapons apart, separating them. She stayed in between them, garnering Circe's complete attention. Diana and Circe began to circle one another with Lady Maxima in the center, still poised for combat and eying each other warily.

"That is not what we agreed upon!" Maxima screamed with near tears in her eyes. "You promised me, if I did all that you commanded, that you would make King Kal-El my husband for all time!"

"Maxima?" hollered Miss Selina. "How could you?"

"How could I not?" retorted Lady Maxima. "Everything I had ever dreamed was mine! Kal-El was mine! His mother Queen Faora had chosen me for him!"

"What?" asked Miss Selina, stepping closer to her.

"Oh yes, I was her favorite in the contest," continued Maxima. "She said my affinity for conquering would balance Prince Kal-El's life long desire for peace. He needed me to be his queen, so I could expand the empire he created. Even though she wouldn't force her choice, she kept me by her side in private. As her daughter to be, she had even given me all her access, preparing me to become his consort."

"Then … it was you … in the computer as Queen Faora?" asked Selina.

"I had to, Miss Selina," Maxima answered, a touch of regret in her voice. "I wasn't going to accept the offer from The Empress, but on the night King Kal-El took Princess Diana to interrogate her in his private chamber … as he never had me … I knew that I had to have Circe's sorcery. In exchange, I was to give her the location of Atlantis, which I would have conquered with My Lord Kal-El anyway, when the time was right."

Grappling in the air with Steppenwolf, King Kal-El snapped to stare at Lady Maxima at the mention of Queen Faora. With a burst of strength, he snatched Steppenwolf by his throat and threw him down to slam into the kneeling Darkseid.

"Maxima! What have you done?" he called out, still hovering in the air.

"She gave me a green isotope, deadly to all of your kind, which your father Zod held against you, King Kal-El," answered Circe, the tone of her voice intending to draw him to her side as she pulled a small green flask from her belt.

At the moment that Kal saw the green substance, he instantly powered his eyes to full strength, unleashing a ray of heat vision so hot that almost turned white. The flask and its contents were incinerated in less than a second.

"Wait, Great King!" screeched Circe, drawing back her singed hand as she spoke quickly. "I had no further intention of using it against you. I merely sought to bring you under control."

"Why would he harbor this weapon and not tell me about it?" Kal asked sternly, hovering above them.

"He felt there was too much good in you, and that you would one day turn on him," answered Lady Maxima. "He knew of your saving lives on his battlefields. After he had used you to conquer the world, he would have killed you."

"So you killed them?" Kal asked sadly.

"As the superfamily, the three of you, King Zod, Queen Faora and you as Their Prince, were simply too powerful to be controlled," answered Empress Circe. "So, since you were the strongest, it was only logical for you to be the survivor. Every ruler in al the lands has been seeking a way to attain and control you. With all the power of the universe in your hands, I knew you had to be infiltrated."

"But I did it all for you, King Kal-El! Don't you see?" pleaded Maxima. "So that you could rule the universe! By my side!"

Before King Kal-El could respond, Steppenwolf took advantage of his distraction and attacked him from behind, trying to crush him by grabbing him around his torso. They struggled until Kal was able to break his hold by sheer strength and power, and the two of them continued grappling in mid air.

"No! He'll rule by my side, you foolish pitiful lovesick schoolgirl," Circe admonished Maxima.

"You promised me, Empress!" Lady Maxima screamed.

"I'm changing my mind, Lady Maxima," said Circe, manifesting another whip. "After tasting of him, I'm taking King Kal-El for myself! If you continue to serve me, I'll allow you to be one of our concubines."

"Damn you!" Maxima screamed angrily.

"So be it," said Circe.

With lightning speed, Circe's whip flung outward. Maxima swung her sword at it, but missed as the whip slashed downward to wrap around her ankles. Before she could react, Circe yanked Maxima off her feet.

Lady Maxima knew she was no match for Circe. And, in her final moment, she truly wanted the best for King Kal-El. She knew the one he had chosen.

While being pulled up into the air, Lady Maxima looked over to Diana. A knowing look passed between the two women. An understanding.

For all three, the next few moments moved in an intense slow motion ...

Diana started to run toward Circe …

Holding Maxima up in the air, Circe suddenly snapped the whip down violently, the ground rushing toward Maxima's head …

Then, at the right moment, Maxima threw her broadsword …

… to Diana, who caught it, and smoothly spun into a diving motion toward Circe …

Circe turned, swinging to counter …

… and missed.

Diana didn't.

The final moment passed.

The two warrior women faced each other eye to eye. Their confrontation was over. Diana had ran her through.

Both swords, Diana's and Maxima's, had cut through Circe's heart.

"It shouldn't have come to this, Empress," Diana said in an intense whisper.

"I suppose … he's yours then," Circe groaned her last, before her corporeal body broke into black smoke and faded into the ground below.

Lowering her swords, Diana spared a glance over to where Lady Maxima lay. Then, Before Diana knew what was happening, both swords were knocked out of her hands as a massive fist snatched her up into the air from behind, holding her by her neck in a death grip.

"You're truly the most fierce female warrior I've ever encountered," boomed Darkseid's voice as he held her suspended, her struggle to break his grip not phasing him in the least. "Truly worthy to be my female ruler, more so than The Empress. But I sense far too much fight in you to be tamed or controlled, therefore, you must be destroyed."

"No!" yelled Kal, still grappling as Steppenwolf held him against the side wall of the temple. "Let her go!"

"Goodbye, Great Princess," Darkseid said coldly.

A short, solemn moment passed between Kal and Diana. With everything that had happened between them, neither of them had realized just how much they had hoped for so much more. There was so much left unsaid … undone … unrealized. They were only beginning. A lifetime of … joy … togetherness … everything … gone too soon. So many feelings … such … love … unrequited ...

No. Kal wouldn't lose her. He couldn't.

Suddenly, red light shot from Kal's eyes to cut through half of Darkseid's arm. Darkseid hollered in pain as his death grip on Diana's neck loosened. With a surge of power, Kal caught Steppenwolf with an uppercut which sent him soaring high. Then, with lightning speed, Kal jumped up above Steppenwolf and slammed a double bottom fist into his forehead.

Then, still moving almost faster than light, Kal shot toward Darkseid and Diana. Moving with him, Diana swung her legs upward toward Darkseid's arm and kicked with all her might. Kal slammed into the same part of Darkseid's arm with both his fists extended outward.

The immense power of Kal and Diana combined was too much even for The Dark Lord.

His massive arm was severed from his body.

Desperately clutching the stump where his arm had once been, Darkseid fell to the ground.

Kal caught Diana in his arms before she could fall, holding her close. Yet, before the two lovers could embrace, they were completely swarmed by winged demons in a frenzy to protect their fallen masters. Swinging around to hover back to back, King Kal-El and Princess Diana had to fight with reckless abandon to keep the horde off of them.

Behind them, Darkseid raised up off his back as Steppenwolf struggled to balance on his hands and knees.

"My son, the time has come," said Darkseid. "In order for our kingdom to be, you must make the ultimate sacrifice. It is the only way."

Without hesitation, Steppenwolf nodded. "Yes, father."

Both father and son stared at one another in a solemn moment of reflection. They had known that this moment could one day come to pass. It had always been a failsafe plan ever since they had gained their strength from The Fallen One.

Moving slowly, Steppenwolf laid himself prostrate on the ground. Struggling to walk, Darkseid stumbled to stand over him.

"May The Fallen One come," said Darkseid, raising his hand.

Then, Darkseid slammed his hand through Steppenwolf's back and into the ground underneath.

As Steppenwolf breathed his last, Darkseid watched his son's blood pour and seep into the soil. Stepping back, he waited for the ancient signs. Then, after a long moment, the ground underneath Steppenwolf's body began to catch fire.

The small fire turned into a blaze …

The blaze became a roar …

The roar … an inferno …

Suddenly, from the midst of the fire, an opening appeared, and a dark grey pillar of light shone upward into the clouds. Then, a deafening cry resounded, echoing loudly, as a great red seven headed dragon burst up out of the inferno.

Its terrifying screech seemed to shake the entire battlefield. Without distinction between ally and foe, the main head unleashed a torrent of fire on those near it. Amazons, Kryptonians and demons alike had their bodies burned to ashes, but their souls continued burning where they lay, as many of them would for all eternity.

Everyone looked up to the sky as the mighty winged beast swooped high, then the mouths of all seven heads glowed menacingly, preparing to unleash deadly fire over the entire island ...


	25. chapter twenty four

Isle of Themyscira

Royal Temple

Morning

Time seemed to move in slow motion ...

All was lost ...

The flames of the adversary would consume all …

Kal stared up at the great red dragon, knowing that he wouldn't be able to save everyone. He glanced over to the flames from which the dragon had emerged. They had created a doorway.

Doorways always had more than one side.

If they had brought forth the deepest darkness, then there may be an opening to call out to the highest light.

Time was short. He remembered his learnings of The Lord, and the reputed shortest prayer in The Word Of God. He needed that prayer now. Lifting into the air with his arms raised outward in sacrifice, Kal whispered to The Most High God.

"Lord, save us."

Flaming fire seven times hotter than the most heated volcanoes on earth burst forth from the mouths of the dragon and poured over the entire island, completely engulfing all the land.

The people screamed, hollered and cried out in helplessness.

Yet, in this moment, there was no burning.

Miraculously, all of the flame was suddenly drawn back into one body.

Kal.

He had sacrificed himself.

Staring up at him, Diana screamed in anguish, her cries drowned out by the torrential sounds of the inferno all around them.

Accepting the flood of flames as they poured into him, Kal's body turned completely white, almost angelic. Then, in a solemn moment, he fell to the ground. He lay still, quiet and lifeless.

But then, the light from his body flowed across the ground to the lower opening of the dark rift which had been created. The base of the mystical cylinder immediately turned from pitch black to pure white, then shot upward higher than before, piercing the very clouds above the island.

Then, as everyone watched in awe, the heavens opened.

With a monstrous wail of absolute terror, all seven heads of the great dragon roared.

A light began to shine …

Brighter than the sun …

The light of The Son …

The brightness was so powerful that it had a weight, pressure and heaviness to it, which forced all the onlookers, even Darkseid, to fall to their knees and bow.

And, above the highest heavens, sat a throne, with The One seated upon it.

Hundreds, thousands, millions … an innumerable company … surrounded the throne … worshipping, glorifying and praising Him forever.

Under this vision of His glory, darkness on the earth was cast away.

A chasm opened at the base of the ladder of light, a bottomless pit, and in its depths, a lake of fire.

Suddenly, the great dragon startlingly flew sideways, as if an unseen hand had swatted it like a mere locust. With its mighty wings flapping wildly, and uselessly, it was cast into the lake.

The light quickly continued to expand and intensify, and soon none could see anything but pure whiteness. And then, it was gone.

The people were blinded for a several seconds, all still in awe, each one trying to gather themselves slowly.

The ladder of light disappeared, and the chasm opened for a short moment. However, in that moment, standing too close to the edge, Darkseid slipped over the side and fell to join his master in the lake of eternal torment. Then, the chasm closed with a short rumble.

"Nooo!" Darkseid's voice echoed.

At the sound of his voice, Diana struggled to her feet. Her eyesight quickly began to return, and she blinked away her blurred vision with her sword held at the ready. After a long moment, she realized she wouldn't need it.

All the forces of evil had been vanquished. The demons were gone, having been disintegrated in the eminence of the light. Some of those taken had even been restored, all spells and magic broken.

Looking around, the people slowly regained their sight and began to stand. Everyone was dazed, disheveled and disoriented. As they recovered, many began to smile, lament and rejoice in the miracle and victory they had been given.

But, one was missing. Their salvation had required a sacrifice.

Diana dropped to her knees, her sword falling from her hands.

Then, through her tears, she looked over to where his enlightened body had fallen.

To her amazement, he was there. Sitting on his knees, his head bowed, almost as if in prayer.

Diana didn't remember running, she didn't remember flying, she didn't remember moving at all …

But suddenly, her arms were around Kal, hugging him tight, holding him close.

"I love you," Kal whispered.

"Of course you do," Diana whispered back. "And I you."

Their lips drew slowly toward one another …

But they were halted by a shrill voice cutting through the air.

"Amazons! Ready your weapons! Kill all intruders!" commanded Queen Hippolyta.


	26. chapter twenty five

Isle of Themyscira

Royal Temple

Morning

"Arrest all men, Warrior Women of Themyscira!" commanded Queen Hippolyta. "They're in violation of the law of our island! They don't belong here!"

"Mother!" called Diana, hurriedly making her way up the royal steps to lower her voice as she spoke in opposition to her queen. "These people fought for us. These men came to save us."

"Regardless of such truth, we must uphold our law!"

"What about grace, Mother?"

"We cannot afford such, Daughter. Amazons! Prepare to take them into custody or slay them where they stand! We shall defend our heritage to the uttermost!"

At her words, all of the amazon women began to raise their weapons and ready their stances. Despite most of them having uncertain looks in their eyes, they were fully prepared to carry out the orders of their queen. In response, the citizens of Krypton, the guilds and The Justice League stood their ground, poised to counterattack.

The atmosphere was tense, charged and heated, a deadly standoff.

"Amazons!" Queen Hippolyta gave the war cry. "Kill …"

"Citizens of Krypton!" King Kal-El suddenly called out loudly. "Kneel! Now!"

Everyone hesitated. The amazon warriors didn't attack. The citizens and The Justice League looked around warily.

Then, King Kal-El lowered to one knee. All eyes were on him.

The Knight's eyes narrowed as a small grin crossed his face. In addition to the miracle they had all just witnessed, this King had accomplished the feat of stopping crime in the entire province of Gotham, a feat which Bruce had been unable to accomplish despite a life long ambition. Bruce had come to have faith in Kal, and he knew with confidence that he was about to witness another miracle.

"Krypton!" The Knight called out. "Follow our king!"

Then, he too took a knee. With their chief security officer also telling them to lower their defenses, the people relented. First, the Regulators lowered to one knee, and then the members of The Justice League, then the guilds. All over the battlefield, the citizens dropped their weapons and bowed.

Around them, the amazons now hesitated. To their credit, despite the ways the world had wronged them, the female warriors remained true to their spirit. They were not butchers. It was not their innate nature to harm defenseless people.

All was tense and silent.

"My Queen?" called Hessia, her sword held at the ready, but her hand was trembling.

Despite all her vaunted years of leadership, Queen Hippolyta was stunned into silence. Her teeth gritted with indecision. She hadn't anticipated this. Hippolyta looked over to Diana. Then, Kal's voice resounded.

"Great Queen Hippolyta, I, King Kal-El of Krypton, humbly request an audience with your eminence," his voice seemed to boom across the landscape even from his kneeling position.

Hippolyta was quiet for a long moment as she turned to stare down at him. She again glanced over to Diana, marvelled by the man before her. Diana gazed back at her proudly.

"As Queen, I do not idly, callously or easily dismiss the miracle, victory and salvation you have wrought for us this day," said Hippolyta, herself now humbled. "We do owe you a debt which cannot be repaid. You have already shown a grace, dignity and honor which surpass all others of your male race, Great King. The court shall hear your words."

Standing up boldly, King Kal-El slowly walked up the grand palatial steps as his voice resounded throughout the throne room.

"Great Queen, I bring a message of peace," said King Kal-El, standing to his feet and slowly beginning to ascend the royal steps toward her. "Because of your daughter Princess Diana, I have studied your history. I know you have been wronged. The entire human race is guilty of grave and mortal sin. However, I also know from your history of the true reason for which your race was created. Woman was created for man by God. It is your purpose as ordained by Him. You have been out of His will for many, many years. The time for change has come."

As he spoke, he walked toward Hippolyta. She stepped back from him, almost as if the sheer power of his words was overwhelming her.

"Now, I beseech you, with all my heart, I implore you … to return to your calling and the purpose for which your race was created. You once brought peace, love and serenity to the hearts of men. The world needs you. Men need you. We need you. All of you."

As he finished, Hippolyta's weak legs struck the edge of her throne chair, and she fell into it, gazing up at The King.

"You ask much," Hippolyta whispered, deep in thought.

"This … is not my true request, O Queen," Kal said in a low voice. "What I ask is much more simple … and personal."

"What is it?"

"I humbly ask … for the permission to request your daughter's hand in marriage."

Startled gasps arose from all over the throne ballroom chamber … including one from Diana herself.

Staring intently, Hippolyta looked over to where Diana stood. There was surprise in her eyes, but also … that particular softness. That sweet unrealized underlying affection … which could only be love. Hippolyta had known it once upon a time herself. But with Diana, it was much more real, strong and pure than she had ever known.

Fearful, Hippolyta tried to dissuade both of them.

"A marriage of convenience?" scorned Hippolyta. "To make her a concubine? Simply to unify our empires?"

"No, oh no, Great Queen," King Kal-El said humbly, finally turning to gaze upon Diana as he spoke. "I have loved her since i saw her from afar a long time ago. I know this now. During her time in my kingdom, she has saved my life more than once. As you heard for yourself, even our adversaries stated that her presence in the kingdom was the pivotal difference in keeping them from world domination. The people adore her, as do i. I can no longer imagine my life without her."

Hippolyta wanted to hold onto her anger, but his loving words slipped it from her grasp. She looked over at Diana, and saw her standing transfixed by The King's words. When Hippolyta spoke, her voice did not hold the commanding dominance she had intended, but instead was barely a strained whisper.

"And you, Diana, would you have This King?"

Walking toward the throne seat, Diana spoke proudly. "This man has proven himself more worthy than I had ever dared to dream. Instead of tyranny, hate and oppression, he rules with grace, humility and … love. Within him, he has the power to usher in a new world, a better world, a greater world. But, despite all his strength, he can't do it .. without me by his side. I would … pledge myself to him willingly."

"And your heart?" Hippolyta asked in a quiet voice.

"He … He has it," Diana whispered. "I don't know when it slipped away … so simply … so easily … before I even realized, or understood … what I was feeling … almost as if it were … destiny."

Hippolyta's head lowered, solemn in a quiet resignation, remembering her past and contemplating her own fate now. "You describe the ways of love, young one," she said. "True love." Then, she looked up at King Kal-El. "And what of an old withered queen, Great King? Am I to be discarded … exiled … put to death?"

"Oh no, Great Queen Hippolyta," King Kal-El said quickly, turning back to her. "I seek for Krypton to be a land of peace, and I have formed a League of Justice, comprised of those most venerable in the kingdom. You shall have an honored seat at the table of The League. You will be involved in all decisions for the land. As a lawful mother, you shall be our queen emeritus."

Hippolyta gazed up at Kal, stunned into silence by the graciousness of This King. She couldn't have asked for better circumstances. Now it was encumbered upon her to make a decision for her people. Then, she suddenly realized, she could let them choose for themselves. Strengthened by Kal's kindness, she stood to her feet and spoke loudly.

"My amazon sisters, two paths lie before you this day. Will you continue to follow your queen now in the ways we have known, or will you follow a new queen into a very different era? The choice is yours."

For long moments, all was silent in the auditorium. No one moved. No one made a sound.

Then, the silence was broken by the loud echoing clang of a sword dropping to the ground.

All heads turned to stare. Standing beside Donna, Hessia had dropped her sword. Then, with a nod to Diana, she lowered to her knees.

Another sword dropped. Then another. More. All over the land, weapons fell to the ground. No longer needed.

Little Donna lowered to her knees. Other amazons followed. Then, all of them.

Seeing the decision of those under her charge, Hippolyta sat back down.

"King Kal-El, do you have a minister of The Most High God here?" she asked.

"I am here," a strong voice called out.

Kal turned to stare out over the battlefield, and watched a particular figure make his way through the crowd up the royal steps.

"Steven!" Kal called out proudly, taking his hand as they met at the top of the staircase. "My old friend. You don't have your shield this time?"

"Oh, I do," answered Steven, pulling out his copy of The Book. "I carry the shield of faith."

Kal hugged Steve and then drew him over to Diana.

"Diana, this is Steven Rogers. We're kindred spirits. He has always been such a soldier on the battlefield that we call him The Captain."

"A pleasure to meet you, Captain," Diana smiled as she took his hand.

"The pleasure is mine, Princess. But I think we're about to change your title, aren't we? Follow me," he said cordially.

Walking to the apex of the royal staircase in the temple, Steve drew Kal and Diana to stand on either side of him facing one another. Now standing as one great unit, the people began to crowd together near the foot of the staircase, staring upward. As far as the eye could see, everyone stood silent to bare witness.

"Place both your hands on The Bible," Steve said reverently, waiting until Kal and Diana did so. "Do you, Kal-El, take Diana to be your lawfully wedded wife?

"I do," Kal-El answered.

"Do you, Diana, take Kal-El to be your lawfully wedded husband?

"I do, Diana answered.

"Then, in praise of Almighty God, may He ordain, bless and sanctify this marriage. You may now kiss …"

Kal and Diana were already kissing.

"... the Bride," Steve finished with a smile.

All the land burst into thunderous applause. All the peoples were together in celebration, a joining which would eventually spread across the earth as a whole. The blessed marriage union of Kal and Diana began an era of peace, love and joy which would last for all time …

The Beginning ...


	27. epilogue

Epilogue

Kingdom of Krypton - Themyscira

Midnight

3 days later ...

The borders of the kingdom were calm, quiet and serene, in stark contrast to the hail of war which had recently befallen the countryside. The peace which had come out of the conflict would soon permeate the entire surrounding region. In time, this kingdom would become the benevolent center of the world.

It had been three days since Kal had seen his wife, as she had chosen to stay on The Island of Themyscira to oversee her mother's welfare after their blissful wedding night together.

Still very weary from his resurrection in the climax of the melee, Kal had fallen into a deep sleep late the previous evening.

He hadn't at all expected to wake up to find himself restrained in his own bed.

Realizing that he couldn't move his arms, Kal's eyes snapped open. He knew that he had been alone in he and Diana's bedroom last night, so someone must have been able to enter while he was asleep. Not only that, but someone had been somehow subtle enough to remove his garments, leaving him clothed atop the sheets with only his cape under him.

Then, Kal looked up to find his wrists tightly bound.

By a lasso.

A golden lasso.

His lips curled into a soft smile. There was only one woman in the world to whom such a weapon belonged. After three days, she had returned.

The sexy sound of a pair of spike high heeled boots clacking across the floor began to approach the bed. Kal's head turned, his eyes desperate for his first glimpse of her in three days. As she appeared out of the shadows, Kal breathed a deep sigh simply to have her presence near him, never mind that she was the most lovely thing to him in all physical creation.

With his eyes fastened on her, Queen Diana strode forward to stand over him. She had her beautiful blue cloak wrapped all the way around her, completely concealing her undergarments. Her cerulean blue eyes held an air of joy, mischief and playfulness.

"Well, Kal-El, The King of all Krypton - Themyscira, doesn't look so high and mighty now, does he?" she smiled.

After she spoke, Diana placed her hands on her hips in an authoritative pose.

She purposely let her cloak part around her outstretched arms.

Underneath her cape … she was completely nude.

Staring up at the unbelievably gorgeous feminine physique of his wife, Kal's eyes widened, and his nature … rose.

"Well," Diana said with a very pleased smile. "I stand corrected. You are truly … high and mighty … indeed," she whispered in an aroused breath.

"We're going to have a lot of fun with that lasso of yours over the years, aren't we, My Queen?" said Kal.

"Yes, we are, My King," smiled Diana. "Yes, we are."

With a beaming smile, Diana laid down on top of Kal, enfolding both of them in nothing but their capes, and in the never ending, ever enduring folds of love …

The Beginning ...


End file.
